We planned our trip to Japan around the cherry blossom season, which is the busiest time of the year here. Sadly, the season was delayed, so the trees bloomed later than we planned. Nevertheless, we still found some really good spots that bloomed just before we left for Tokyo, and all I can say is, wow, the cherry blossoms are much more beautiful in person than I could have ever imagined. We decided to get up early every day to beat the crowds, and it was so worth it. Just look at how beautiful these pictures turned out.

Where to see these:

• Philosopher’s Path
• Keage Incline
• Maruyama Park
• Kyoto Imperial Palace
• Kyoto Botanical Gardens
• Hirano Shrine