Take a day off from train schedules and see Japan as it can only be seen in spring: covered in flowers and filled with fresh fruit waiting to be picked! We’ve looked up some of the best (and most affordable) spring bus tours from Tokyo so that you can enjoy a relaxing day out without doing all the research that goes with it.
Spring makes its mark in Japan with flowers—like cherry blossom or weeping wisteria—and since nature needs space, the best parks are usually quite a trek from Tokyo. While most can be reached by public transport, if you haven’t got a car it can be time-consuming and expensive trying to reach them. Luckily, there are guided bus tours to take you from the streets of Tokyo to blue-covered fields with some bonus treats on the way. The buses leave from central locations, often in Shinjuku and at around 7:30 a.m., giving you a full day out.
1. Hitachi National Seaside Park plus Ashikaga Flower Park or Mito Kairakuen
Tochigi¥11,980
Lunch included (all-you-can-eat)
More information and booking
Depending on what’s flowering at the time of your tour, you will visit either Ashikaga Flower Park or Mito Kairakuen alongside Hitachi National Seaside Park. Three of Japan’s best flower gardens.
Leaving Tokyo early in the morning, you’ll be taken all the way to Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture for an ideal spring sight — 4.5 million baby blue eyes (nemophila) carpeting the hills and blending with the blue sky. Located near the Pacific Ocean, the park incorporates sand dunes, forests, and grasslands as well as their annual rotation of flowers.
You may also get the chance to go to Tochigi Prefecture to admire the famous wisteria of Ashikaga Flower Park. This garden has six species of wisteria and some of the oldest and largest in all of Japan. Grown in canopies and tunnels, they have a variety of colors, although the ancient purple trees are the most famous.
The parks have food stands and flower-themed treats like ice creams and drinks.
2. Fuji Shibazakura Festival, traditional village, and strawberry picking
Yamanashi¥13,200
Lunch not included
More information and booking
On this flowery Fuji day trip, you’ll visit the gorgeous Shibazakura Festival that takes place each year in front of Mt. Fuji. With over 800,000 shibazakura blooming in a variety of colors, you’ll be treated to some amazing views. The tour also includes hard-to-reach places such as Saiko Iyashi no Sato Nenba, a traditional Japanese village; tulip park; strawberry picking; and plenty of shopping.
Note: The tour includes entry tickets for the flower park and Saiko Iyashi no Sato Nemba.
3. Mount Fuji cherry blossoms and strawberry picking
Yamanashi¥10,900
Lunch included (hōtō noodles)
More information and booking
Killing two birds with one stone, this tour allows you to see Mt. Fuji combined with cherry blossoms — possibly the most Japanese sight in existence! Taking you from Tokyo to spots near Fuji-san, you will first visit Arakurayama Park, which offers a quintessential Japan view of Fuji with the famous Chureito Pagoda. After lunch, which will be a helpful serving of hōtō noodles, you’ll head up Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway and be treated to a stunning view of Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko. This tour also includes a visit to Mt. Fuji 5th Station and the northern bank of Lake Kawaguchiko, where you can see Mount Fuji framed with cherry blossoms.
While we do our best to ensure it’s correct, information is subject to change. Prices are approximate. Itineraries may be adjusted. Post first published in March 2018. Last updated in March 2023.
