Christopher House

What a wonderful time to be in Tokyo! After a recent spell of warm weather, Tokyo's cherry blossoms are now fully open with the Japan Meteorological Agency announcing full bloom on Sunday March 30. This coming week will be pretty rainy, so let's see how the flowers fare over the coming days. To keep you up to date on how the blossoms are doing, we've done the legwork, visited different sakura spots in Tokyo, so you can check up on the blooming cycle before heading out. RECOMMENDED: Make this your best sakura season yet with our ultimate guide to cherry blossoms in Tokyo

Sakura season is upon us once again. Japan is home to hundreds of varieties of the fleeting flowers, but do you know your Kanzan from your Ukon? Here’s a quick guide to introduce you to a mere fraction of the many types of sakura you may see during your hanami adventures. Got a good shot to share? Tag us on Insta at @timeouttokyo_ with your best sakura pics. RECOMMENDED: While you're here, check out our ultimate guide to cherry blossoms in Tokyo

It's that time again — the World Expo is right around the corner. Bringing the world together once every five years, the event is all about showcasing global innovations in technology. This year's Expo, taking place in Osaka from April 13 to October 13, features contributions from 7 international organisations and nearly 160 countries and is estimated to host over 28 million attendees from all over the world. Step 1: Register Images: Christopher House2025 Osaka Expo registration page screenshots Before you can purchase tickets, you must register for an ExpoID on the official Expo 2025 webpage using either an email address or an accepted account like Facebook, Line or Google.  Step 2: Verify your ExpoID account Next, you'll verify the account you just created. There are three options to choose from: email authentication, biometric/passcode or via a third-party authenticator app like Google Authenticator. Follow the Expo 2025 website's instructions for whichever method you select. You'll have to verify your account using your selected verification method every time you log in, but you can change your verification method to one of the other two types in your Settings at any time. Step 3: Book tickets This part's pretty straightforward. Select the date and time you'd like to attend the Expo. After you've selected your preferred date and time, you'll select the type of ticket you want. There are a myriad of options to choose from, starting from ¥4,000 for an adult Opening Tick

If you’re planning to climb Mt Fuji this year, be prepared to pay the price – literally. The Japan Times reports that local officials have announced there will be a fee of ¥4,000 to hike the iconic mountain during this year’s climbing season, scheduled from July to September. This is an increase from last year’s fee of ¥2,000 and applies not only to the Yoshida Trail in Yamanashi prefecture, but also all three of Shizuoka prefecture’s trails, which were previously free. Photo: Chanon Tamtad/DreamstimeHikers climbing Mt Fuji The fee aims in part to manage overcrowding, as Japan has seen a massive increase in tourists in recent years. In addition to the fee, climbers will also be required to make a reservation via the official Mt Fuji climbing site. The number of daily climbers will be restricted to 4,000 people, so make sure to check for availability once the registration system comes online sometime in April. More from Time Out Tokyo Mt Fuji has increased ticket prices for the 2025 climbing season Time Out Market Osaka sneak peek: 17 kitchens and two bars featuring the city’s best chefs and restaurants Here's the official Japan cherry blossom forecast for 2025 See 4,000 cherry blossoms light up at Niigata's Takada Castle this spring Shinjuku’s Mylord department store has closed for good Want to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan.