OK, so this blog is Cheap Travel Japan, and my goal is to help people get the best “Japan” experience they can without going broke.
Cherry blossoms really are beautiful, and it’s an ephemeral beauty at that magnifying it. If you really want to see them you don’t actually have to come to Japan.
If you can’t make it to Osaka Castle so you can poke at takoyakis with a giant toothpick while enjoying the sakura, maybe you can make it to Washington D.C. for the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
The cherry blossom forecast for D.C predicts that the best viewing time will be begin April 1st and last until April 4th, but the festival itself will be going on from March 28 to April 12 so if you are going to be in the U.S., and have an interest in Japan, get to D.C. to get some Japan experience without having to fly to the other side of the world.
I still think you should try to make it to Japan for the 2009 cherry blossoms, but if you can’t don’t worry, there are great things to do here every season.