6 February 2024

With the days now getting longer, thoughts of spring will soon be setting in, and brighter, warmer days will bring the promise of new beginnings as cherry and other fruit trees start to blossom across Japan.

The traditional custom of Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) is of course thoroughly engrained in Japanese culture and the top tourist attraction for the country, so why not have a Hanami season with a difference and celebrate the custom in a slightly less traditional way, with the following ideas from Hoshino Resorts:

Otsuka, Tokyo: Sakura bloom party
Toshima Ward, where Otsuka is located, is said to be the birthplace of Somei-Yoshino (the most abundant species of cherry tree found in Japan, originating from the Edo- to beginning of the Meiji-period). This Sakura season, OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka will host a Hanami event at its OMO Base with decorations inspired by the full bloom of Somei-Yoshino. Regardless of the weather, guests can enjoy Hanami as well as OMO's original Japanese confectionery, made in collaboration with the neighbouring confectionery shops, music reminiscent of the spring season, as well as sake and cherry blossom cocktails. Available 1 March-30 April 2024, 8:30pm-10pm. Sake and Sakura cocktails ¥700 (approx. £3.80), available 5:30pm-10pm.

WHERE TO STAY: Stay at OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka, a stylish and affordable hotel on Otsuka's quiet backstreets just a minute's walk from Otsuka station and close to an excellent array of izakayas (pubs), bars and eateries. The hotel features 125 bedrooms centred around The Yagura Room, a spacious multi-purpose area which includes a café & bar, a relaxed lounge and a library brimming with information about the city. The hotel has a large neighbourhood 'Go-Kinjo' map on a magnetic wall and offers guided tours led by OMO Rangers. An overnight stay costs from £118 (¥22,000) per room per night (two sharing; room only). Contact Hoshino Resorts OMO5 Tokyo Otsuka (omo-hotels.com/otsuka/en/

Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Prefecture: Hanami Water Cycling
Known as one of the best blossom-viewing spots in the city, Shinkawa in Tsuchiura City boasts a 2km section of cherry blossom lined river where guests can enjoy the spectacular displays from the river on a unique water cycle (pictured above), followed by a strawberry sandwich from Tsujiya, a much-loved local sandwich shop. Available 25 March-10 April 2024, ¥4,000 pp (approx. £22) including 1- or 2-person river cycle rental, life jacket and sandwich.

WHERE TO STAY: Stay at BEB5 Tsuchiura, Hoshino Resorts' first bicycle-themed hotel, conveniently located at JR Tsuchiura Station. The wallet-friendly city hotel boasts a 'Tamariba' public space with café, chill-out space and DJ booth, open 24 hours a day, 90 Japanese-style bedrooms with floor Yagura bed and tatami mat flooring, and cycle-in, cycle-out policy. An overnight stay costs from £71 (¥13,200) per room per night (two sharing, room only). Contact Hoshino Resorts BEB5 Tsuchiura hoshinoresorts.com/en/hotels/beb5tsuchiura/.

The custom of Hanami most often refers to viewing cherry blossoms, but other types of flowers that bloom in the spring can also be considered as Hanami. Here are a couple of examples:

Mount Fuji, Yamanashi Prefecture: Reserve a peach farm for an exclusive peach blossom Hanami experience

In Yamanashi Prefecture, the landscape is uniquely suited to producing a wide variety of fruits, and Fuefuki City in Yamanashi is one of Japan's top peach-producing areas, with 23,000 tons of peaches harvested annually. Unlike cherry trees, which have flowers just on the tips of their branches, peach trees are characterised by flowers that grow all the way from the base of the branches to the tips, allowing the trees to bloom extravagantly. This year, the glamping resort HOSHINOYA Fuji is offering guests the opportunity for exclusive use of a peach farm, where they will enjoy lunch served by Glamping Masters at a beautiful picnic table surrounded by peach blossoms, in pure peaceful tranquillity. Peach blossoms can also be admired on the guests' journey to the farm by bicycle or on foot. Available from 20 March-10 April, ¥40,000 pp (approx. £215, limited to a pair per day) including lunch at the peach farm, wine pairing, and a guided walk or cycle to the farm.

WHERE TO STAY: Stay at HOSHINOYA Fuji, Japan's first glamping resort, set in a red pine forest on a hill overlooking Lake Kawaguchi and Mount Fuji. There are 40 cabins which have been designed so guests feel like they are floating in the forest. A cloud terrace with a series of wooden platforms and hammocks set amongst the trees offers complimentary activities including morning stretches, meat smoking classes and film screenings beside an open fire pit. Guests can dine al fresco in the forest, in the Dining Hall with its chef's grill or in their cabin. An overnight stay costs from £544 (¥101,000) per room per night (two sharing; room only). Contact HOSHINOYA Fuji (hoshinoya.com/fuji/en/).

Karuizawa, Nagano: Floating Floral Lanterns

To celebrate Hanami season, 300 floral lanterns are lit on the waterways between the scenic terraced rice fields that surround HOSHINOYA Karuizawa's outdoor spaces. The lanterns are decorated with the motifs of three types of flowers that bloom on the grounds of the hotel in the spring: fuchu-jyu-so, ruri-so and azumai-ichige. Every day, the flowers are lit by hand, and appear to be blooming as they flicker on the surface of the water. To accompany the display, a live performance of Gagaku (traditional Japanese court music) will be performed, harmonising with the natural sounds of the environment. Available 1 March-26 April, 3-5pm and 6-8pm. Gagaku performance available only on weekends; free of charge.

WHERE TO STAY: Stay at HOSHINOYA Karuizawa, a secluded mountainside luxury eco-hotel with natural hot springs, two hours by train from Tokyo. Located nearby to Mount Asama, the widely spread resort occupies 10 acres of land, cut through by a river with pristine water flowing from the mountain. The verdant surrounding forests are home to the area's iconic flying squirrels. The resort's ethos is to make the most of its rich natural environment, with power provided by hydroelectricity and geothermal energy from the rivers and hot springs. The resort's spa features nature-based spa treatments, as well as breathing and stretching programmes in the hotel's beautiful grounds and bodywork meditation classes in the hot spring baths. The hotel's 'alpine kaiseki' menu as well as the design of the restaurant have been created to evoke the mountain and river views to bring guests closer to nature. An overnight stay costs £603 (¥112,000) per room per night (two sharing, room only). Contact HOSHINOYA Karuizawa (hoshinoya.com/karuizawa/en/.)

Ends

Notes to Editors

The origins of the Hoshino hospitality brand started with the opening of the first hot spring resort, Karuizawa, in 1914. The company was rebranded as Hoshino Resorts by current CEO Yoshiharu Hoshino in 1995, and now includes five hospitality brands under its parent company – HOSHINOYA (Hoshino Resorts' flagship luxury brand), KAI (hot spring ryokan/inns with a focus on food), RISONARE (countryside resort hotels), OMO (urban-based mid-range hotels), and BEB (free-spirited hotels) together with other unique lodgings.

In 2023, HOSHINOYA Tokyo was listed in The World's 50 Best Hotels 2023.

Hoshino Resorts operates more than 60 properties in Japan, Bali and Taiwan.

Press: For further information, high-res images or press trip requests (with a suitable commission), call Gemma Minto at Travel PR on 020 8891 4440 or email g.minto@travelpr.co.uk.