Join The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan!

By The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (January 12, 2010)

View of Mt. Fuji atop the Cherry Blossoms

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The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is going to tour Japan this Spring and you’re invited to celebrate with us in the country which so generously gifted our cherry trees (sakura) to Vancouver. Experience an unforgettable journey to the exotic land of temples, tea ceremonies, cherry trees and many other spring flowers in bloom.

Sakura is one of the wonders of the modern world. Fast-paced and frenetic Japan, home of bullet trains, robot chefs and a powerhouse economy run by “salarymen” and “office ladies,” suddenly comes to a halt. The reason? Cherry trees, which blossom each spring into clouds of pink and white evoking the days of samurai poets and geisha performers. It starts with national news broadcasts on the sakura zensen (cherry blossom front), the official prediction for each region’s optimal blooming time. When the time is right, friends and colleagues gather in small groups or huge under the falling blossoms. This tour, organized by Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival partner, Japan Travel Bureau (JTB), offers a fascinating glimpse into the blend of ancient and modern culture through the evanescent beauty of cherry trees.

Enjoy four nights in the old imperial capital of Kyoto, home of traditional Japanese culture. You’ll experience the tea ceremony, court music and dance, ikebana flower arranging, and stunning views of cherry trees in bloom. The small group then heads to the bustling commercial centre of Osaka with side trips to serene temples in Nara, a castle in Himeji, and the thousands of cherry trees in Yoshino National Park. Next is an overnight stop at a hot spring resort near Mt. Fuji, Hakone to soak luxuriously. Then two exciting days in Tokyo, one of the world’s largest cities to shop, sightsee, ride a rickshaw or attend cultural events from ninja demonstrations to butoh dancing.

You may fly on your points or with the phenomenal airline, Japan Airlines out of Vancouver on March 27, 2010 returning April 6, with the option to extend in Tokyo. JTB provides English-speaking guides for all transits and group tours. Book now for a journey that will provide beautiful memories to last a lifetime. Return flight costs from Vancouver to Kyoto is approximately $1,135 plus the tour package of $2,750 including hotels, tours, airport transfers, Shinkansen train, as well as meals and gratuities as outlined in the itinerary.

Please contact the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival for more information at 604 767 9044 or info@vcbf.ca. For bookings please contact Jane Kibayashi or Naomi Harada at JTB 604 688 0315 or jkobayashi@jtb.ca nharada@jtb.ca

Come see Japan in bloom and party (hanami: cherry blossom viewing party) with the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival under Japan’s famous cherry trees!

Photo courtesy of Gloucestercitynews.net

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