Good luck booking a guide this spring, but travelers who are willing to try something new will find value in luxury hotels ...

Meguro Ward — which hosts a riverside spectacle — drew about three million visitors to its Sakura Festival ... Association of Japan says in urban areas, so-called "heat island phenomena ...

Each spring, Iwagi, an island in the Seto Inland Sea is painted pink with sakura cherry blossoms. It's home to some 4,000 cherry trees. Highlights include Mt. Sekizen, at the center of the island ...

By that time, Mitake no Sakura was well-known nationally. It was named in lists such as “Japan’s top 100 cherry blossom spots” and featured in magazines and TV programs. Visitors came to see ...