Cherry blossom is symbolic for Japan and booming during two weeks of late March and early April which are known for fabulous periods of the cherry blossom of the year in some big cities namely Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, etc. In 2013, about 100,000 Vietnamese tourists came to Japan, and the number of Vietnamese tourists visiting Japan is growing. Currently, most travel agents of Vietnam are increasing the number of tours to Japan during the cherry blossom season.
Charming beauty of cherry blossoms
Once the spring is coming, the beauty of the elegant cherry blossoms always attracts a lot of visitors throughout the country to enjoy unforgettable moments in life. For the Japanese, the cherry blossom festival in the spring, also called Hanami, is the art of enjoyment of life when people integrate themselves in nature to enjoy the beauty of nature.
From late March to around April 3-10 is the period the cherry blossoms bloom most vibrantly in the year. The ideal spots for cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo are Ueno park, the Meguro River, Imperial palaces, magnificent gardens of New Otani Hotels, Asakusa Temple known as one of the most ancient and famous temples in Tokyo. Every cherry blossom spot in Tokyo is really picturesque. And the date of festival will be announced once the cherry blossoms of Yasukuni temple start blooming.
And in the ancient capital of Kyoto, none of place to view the cherry blossoms is better than in Kiyomizu, an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto and a famous cultural heritage of Kyoto, which is hidden charmingly in the cherry blossom space. Nearby, Kinkakuji Golden Temple covered in gorgeous golden leaves stand out on a red and pink background of cherry blossoms.
Renowned for a nation of unique aesthetic qualities, the Japanese built a forecasting chart for the average time when cherry blossoms start blooming (kaika) and end (mankai). Accordingly, the period of most gorgeous cherry blossoms in the capital Tokyo lasts from March 28 to April 5 and in the ancient capital Kyoto from March 31 to April 7 while in the city of Osaka from March 30 to April 6.
More categorised tours to Japan
The Japanese government's recent policy of eased issuance of visa has attracted tourists from ASEAN countries, including Vietnam.
Mr Pham Tien Dung, Director of Golden Tours and Convention Company, said that the new policy of the Japanese government has enabled the tourism agents to provide more categorised tours to Japan to meet the tourists' desires to explore culture, and history of Japan. The travel partners such as airlines, hotels, and tour agents expect to promote advertising and further support for Vietnamese tourists. At the end of 2012, the Vietnamese tourists traveling to Japan had to pay US$2,500 for a total trip, which included US$1,000 of airfare (excluded US$230 to US$250 of tax); however, in the first quarter of 2013, the airlines which fly from Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi to some cities of Japan launched US$300 price per flight t ticket (excluded US$230 of tax) to make the tour to Japan decrease drastically.
Currently, the leading tourism agents who offer this preferable tour price to Japan include Saigontourist, Vietravel, Golden Tour and Convention Company.
The popular tours to Japan currently being preferred include the 6-day tour of Osaka - Kobe - Kyoto - Nagoya - Fuji - Disneyland - Tokyo at the cost of US$2,100 and the 4-day tour of Fuji - Kawaguchi - Tokyo - Disneyland at the cost of US$1,700.
Also some agents such as Saigon Tourist, Golden Tour and Convention Company also provide the 6-day inter- routes which combine the cherry blossom viewing trip in East Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea or Japan and Taiwan (China) in the route of Taipei- Ancient Palace Museum- Tokyo - Mount Fuji - Hakone at the cost of about US$1,450.
According to Pham Thanh Tra, Communication Director of Saigon Tourist, this new-designed tour offers visitors a good quality of service, competitive price package, diverse destinations with unique attractions to view cherry blossoms in two East Asian and special travel insurance gifts from the AIG Global (USA) with the rebates of up to VND2.1 billion per client per trip or US$100,000.
In particular, the cluster of tours branded Saigon Tourist also offer the tourists the opportunities to experience the attractive recreation event; for example, the tourists are offered to visit Tokyo Disneyland amusement, the largest amusement park in Japan within the route of the cherry blossom viewing tour in Japan or taken to the Nanta show in Seoul, a special musical drama with the main use of utensils which has conquered audiences in 18 countries in the world within the cherry blossom tour in Korea.
Giang Tu
Vietnamese
