Get to Know Our Travel Guides 2026 Edition: How We Share and Celebrate the Sakura Season!

Sakura season in Japan can be one of the most magical times of year, and this is something that certainly doesn’t go unnoticed by the family here at Arigato Travel. Each year, we try to share this springtime wonder with as many people as possible through our blogs and tours. But just what do the beautiful cherry blossoms mean to those who give up their time to introduce them to others?

After all, there’s no better way to feel more involved than by learning about the team. That’s why we sat down to interview a handful of the guides hosting our hanami tours this year to learn not only why they love leading these experiences, but also, just what it is that makes sakura truly special to themselves and the Japanese people as a whole.

So join us as we chat and get to know Yoshiko, Melissa, Hannah, Wesley, H, and Natsumi and their plans for the season this year!

Wesley

Hi, I am Wes! I come from sunny California, Los Angeles to be specific, and I have been living in Tokyo for around 4 years now. I began my life as a tour guide with Arigato Travel three years ago as a part-time gig while I was a student at a university here in Tokyo. Now I work full-time as a guide and also do HR support!

What do you like the best about sakura season, and how do you personally enjoy it?

Sakura season to me, first of all, represents the end of the deep freeze, haha. Remember, I am from Los Angeles, so I’m more used to the heat than the cold. Of course, I love the winters here as well, but Sakura season is special because it signals change and new beginnings. If I have the time, I enjoy going for walks, a Starbucks drink in hand, with friends under the canopy of flowers, just talking and enjoying each other’s company.

What goes into your preparation before a hanami tour? How do you make sure each cherry blossom tour feels special, no matter the conditions?

Always checking the weather ahead of time is super important for planning an enjoyable experience for my guests. Ever heard the saying “April showers bring May flowers”? Well, that is also true here, and thus April can be quite wet. So, planning for ways to enjoy the flowers while staying dry is definitely an important step.

What is your favorite memory from guiding a hanami tour, and why?

I once had this married couple from New York City, and this was their first time in Japan. They wanted to come for their honeymoon, but that was supposed to be in 2020, so they were finally catching up. That night, the evening was perfect as the weather was clear as could be and the sakura blossoms were in full bloom. It was just so nice to see them fulfill their wedding trip. They were in awe of the beauty and had a few lovely moments under the trees.

Also, the gentleman noticed a stand near the end of the tour that was selling habushu, a traditional Okinawan alcohol with a fermented snake inside the bottle. This drew his eye. After I explained it, he insisted we all try it, buying a shot for himself, his wife, and me. That was how we ended the tour. It was a lovely memory for me, and I hope that they will remember their time with me as fondly as I remember them.

Do you have a favorite sakura season-related food you always recommend to guests?

Sakura donuts. I know, I know, donuts are not very Japanese, but sometimes a fusion creates a delightful experience. Mister Donut and Starbucks both offer sakura donuts during the season, and I can’t recommend them enough.

For guests experiencing cherry blossoms in Japan for the first time, what do you hope they feel by the end of the tour?

I hope they can feel relaxed by the beauty and delicateness of these beautiful flowers. I hope they have a deeper cultural understanding of the importance of sakura and the tradition of Hanami to the Japanese people. And finally, I hope that they leave remembering the impermanence of everything and take a little time every day to appreciate that which is often overlooked.

Natsumi

Hi, I’m Natsumi. I am 22 years old and have lived in Kobe, Japan, for pretty much my whole life. I have been with Arigato Travel for 9 months, working as a guide in Osaka, while studying at Kobe University as a final year student, majoring in cultural anthropology (but I am about to finish my current bachelor’s degree and move up to a master’s!).

What do you like best about the sakura season, and how do you personally enjoy it?

What I love most about sakura season is the sakura-flavored desserts. Sakura-mochi is my absolute favorite spring Japanese dessert, and it’s really nice to have with a cup of hot green tea. There are also some sakura-flavored teas sold only this season as well.

Personally, I enjoy seeing the cherry blossoms around my neighborhood as I walk home. I always choose to walk the street with some nice cherry blossom trees lining the path during the spring season. I also often enjoy sakura-flavored drinks from cafes (Starbucks and Tully’s Coffee are some of the more popular options). I particularly love the seasonal sakura green tea, cookies, chocolates, and various other desserts that incorporate the flower, too.

What goes into your preparation before a hanami tour? How do you make sure each cherry blossom tour feels special, no matter the conditions?

When I have a tour, I always bring some Japanese snacks or desserts (something you can typically find at the supermarket) from home, wrapped in a little bag. I always try to include some seasonal flavors, so for my future hanami tours, I will definitely include some sakura desserts. I will also definitely be putting a cherry blossom decoration of some sort on the bag just to round out the package of goodies well.

For the tour itself, I will be checking for the best cherry blossom spots to recommend to my guests. I can’t wait to share all the stories about cherry blossoms and the best places to see them, so that they can enjoy it after the tour is over, especially in the case where the weather isn’t great.

What is your favorite memory from guiding a hanami tour, and why?

I have not been able to guide a hanami tour yet, but I am looking forward to introducing the sakura-flavored foods. Particularly, I would like to share some desserts with the guests, such as mochi, tea, and Pocky. I want my guests to enjoy the flower itself, but also enjoy the foods in a way that is truly “花より団子 (Hana yori Dango).”

Do you have a favorite sakura season-related food you always recommend to guests?

As I’ve mentioned before, I absolutely love sakura-flavored mochi, green tea, and Pocky; they are truly some of the best snacks to have during this season. Thus, I am certainly going to recommend them to all of my guests. If I have a chance, I would love to be able to bring some for them to try.

For guests experiencing hanami in Japan for the first time, what do you hope they feel by the end of the tour?

I hope our guests feel the warmth of spring and experience how Japanese people embrace the transition of the four different seasons through the tour.

Many people enjoy taking photos of the flowers, but I believe cherry blossoms are much more than that. For example, of course, the many and various sakura-themed foods. In addition, cherry blossoms represent a new start, specifically for school and work, too. Or, even if you don’t catch these, you can still find the beauty of discovering nature in the middle of the city.

I want my guests not only to enjoy viewing the blossoms and taking photos of them, but also to enjoy that little sense of spring that Japanese people have, gaining a deeper understanding of the culture.

Melissa

My name is Melissa. I’m originally from Guatemala, but now reside in the Tokyo area, having been with Arigato Travel for 2 years now.

What do you like best about the sakura season, and how do you personally enjoy it?

I really enjoy the simplicity of the activity, especially since it carries such a special meaning. I also love how the blossoms look like soft pink clouds.

What goes into your preparation before a hanami tour? How do you make sure each cherry blossom tour feels special, no matter the conditions?

During daytime hanami, I enjoy looking for lunch boxes (obento) and seeing what’s available. The stores always offer something different, so it’s exciting to discover what kind of food I can present to my guests.

For the nighttime tour, I like walking around to see which stalls are open and what my guests enjoy the most.

What is your favorite memory from guiding a hanami tour, and why?

Every time I do one of these tours, I love seeing my guests’ faces when they see the long rows of cherry blossom trees all together. Their eyes sparkle with such excitement.

Do you have a favorite sakura season-related food you always recommend to guests?

I especially like the dango with sakura-flavored paste.

For guests experiencing hanami in Japan for the first time, what do you hope they feel by the end of the tour?

I hope my guests can relax and feel like they’re having fun with close friends, while also experiencing a very local side of Japanese culture. Many people have never had a picnic before, so being able to do it under a sakura tree makes it a truly special experience.

Hirotsugu

I’m H. Mori, my first name is Hirotsugu, and H is my nickname. I was born and raised in Kyoto, and I live in a house in the northern part of the city. This is now my 8th year with Arigato Travel.

What do you like best about the sakura season, and how do you personally enjoy it?

I have 2 sakura trees in my garden, and they are Somei Yoshino species. During the sakura season, which is typically mid-March to early April in Kyoto, I first enjoy listening to all the birds (bush warbler in particular) singing loudly and happily at this time and checking the buds as they start developing.

I also enjoy watching the blooming process, particularly from half-bloom to full bloom. In my opinion, cherry blossoms take approximately 3 – 3.5 weeks from the beginning to when the flowers start falling.

The best time to watch the blossoms is definitely not just full bloom, but also as the flowers fall. It’s so beautiful, like a scene from a movie. The wind blows through and causes a shower of cherry blossoms to scatter through the air.

What goes into your preparation before a hanami tour? How do you make sure each cherry blossom tour feels special, no matter the conditions?

I first check the blossoms forecast and the weather conditions for the day, so I can see if the weather is going to be fine, cloudy, or rainy, and even the wind speed. From there, I decide the route for the day, bearing in mind to try to avoid the most crowded areas filled with people.

This is particularly important to note: all the good spots to look at the cherry blossoms are quite crowded in Kyoto. So I normally like to take my guests to the Imperial Palace, where guests can enjoy the flowers in a more spacious spot.

What is your favorite memory from guiding a hanami tour, and why?

It was around mid-April, so cherry blossoms were almost finished, and I had to conduct a hanami tour. Frankly speaking, I somehow got flustered as to where I should take guests. While I was worrying about this, I took them walking along the river, where we happened to find spirea clusters which had produced white flowers in full bloom. Furthermore, just behind the spirea, we saw a bunch of mountain wild cherry blossoms, called Yamazakura, which were at their absolute best.

You can imagine, at this time of the year, the mountains are becoming green and lush, already making for a great photo on their own. So the spirea and Yamazakura combination made for a truly gorgeous scene, and the guests were so happy with the hanami. This unexpected late-season scenery saved and greatly helped the situation! This is by far my most favorite and unforgettable memory.

Do you have a favorite sakura season-related food you always recommend to guests?

I recommend guests taste hanami dango, mitarashi dango, mackerel sushi, and onigiri, as well as drink some unpasteurized sake whilst it’s cold.

For guests experiencing hanami in Japan for the first time, what do you hope they feel by the end of the tour?

I would hope they would feel the gorgeousness of the season, along with the happiness and peacefulness it brings.

Hannah

Hi, I’m Hannah. I’m from Ottawa, Canada, and have been living in Tokyo since 2017. I’ve been with Arigato Travel since 2023.

What do you like best about the sakura season, and how do you personally enjoy it?

I love that the entire cityscape is transformed into a soft, fluffy canopy of light pink flowers. Everyday scenery becomes living art.

What goes into your preparation before a hanami tour? How do you make sure each cherry blossom tour feels special, no matter the conditions?

Even on rainy days, the cherry blossoms stand out because the rain darkens the tree trunks, increasing the contrast, which makes for amazing photos! I gift them cherry blossom-infused treats, even if the conditions don’t allow for a picnic, just to make sure they always have something special.

What is your favorite memory from guiding a hanami tour, and why?

On a tour, towards the end of hanami season, many petals were scattered on the ground and were picked up by the wind, dancing along the road. The guests and I were so enchanted by this beautiful display of fallen petals.

Do you have a favorite sakura season-related food you always recommend to guests?

Domyoji mochi. Pink in color, sticky, sweet, glutinous rice infused with real preserved cherry blossoms. Altogether, it creates a floral, sweet, and sour dessert that has a flavor like nothing else you’ve tried before.

For guests experiencing hanami in Japan for the first time, what do you hope they feel by the end of the tour?

I hope they feel awestruck with memories that will outlast any photo album.

Yoshiko

My name is Yoshiko. I was born in Fukuoka, and I lived in Germany for 21 years. Alongside now being a tour guide with Arigato, I’m also a musician who plays both the guitar and the shamisen while also singing. I’ve been in Kyoto for seven years now and have loved every minute of it! There is so much I value in this city, especially its seasons, beauty, and people’s sense of humor and positivity.

What do you like best about the sakura season, and how do you personally enjoy it?

I love to eat sakura-mochi. I’ve also started making them myself and delivering them to my friends, which I quite enjoy.

What goes into your preparation before a hanami tour? How do you make sure each cherry blossom tour feels special, no matter the conditions?

Whilst I haven’t done one yet, for my first tour, I will go online to check the route and the places we’ll stop at. This is especially true for the restaurants where we’ll have lunch, which I intend to try myself first, so I know what to suggest.

For a cherry blossom viewing tour, I think it’s incredibly important to check the weather forecast and adjust the route and stops accordingly.

What is your favorite memory from guiding a hanami tour, and why?

As I mentioned, I haven’t been able to do one yet, but I’m sure it will be a fun tour where we can enjoy the spring weather and the cherry blossoms in a picnic-like atmosphere.

Do you have a favorite sakura season-related food you always recommend to guests?

I’ll absolutely be recommending sakura-mochi!

For guests experiencing hanami in Japan for the first time, what do you hope they feel by the end of the tour?

For guests experiencing cherry blossoms for the first time, I’d love for them to experience a traditional-style hanami, one where we eat boxed lunches under the cherry trees with singing and dancing.

Want to learn more about our team’s love for sakura season? Check out our 2025 edition here.

Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us your experiences with hanami and just what makes the season so special to you! Our guides are like the heart of our family, and we love being able to introduce you to the world whilst also giving you a glimpse into how amazing this family of ours is.

Featured Photo Credit: Pavlo Klein

Check out our Cherry Blossom Tours today for a chance to join Yoshiko, Hannah, H, Melissa, Natsumi, and Wes for your own magical hanami adventure!