Giveaway alert, Japanese Gardens near you, and best way to travel beyond Kyoto
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SWEET RE-LEAF
 
April in the UK was a month of gardens and reunions, and even the coldest average temperature since 1921 couldn't stop the outpour of joy.
Meanwhile, as Japan's torch relay hit the mid-mark, Mother Nature hit her stride with cherry blossom season reaching its peak and blue nemophila flowers and purple wisterias exploding onto Instagram feeds everywhere. 

 

Let’s see what else is going on with Japan right now, get planning your Japan visit for later, and check out our Postcards from Japan on April's theme - HANAFUBUKI, or 'when the wind catches falling petals in a flurry'. 
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Check out our list of top 10 Japanese gardens in the UK and Ireland you need to visit right now
 
Learn a little of the lingo 
How to get your Japanese language skills up to par before your dream holiday
Giveaway alert!

Join our purrfect giveaway to win a copy of CJ Fentiman's new book, 'The Cat with Three Passports'
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Practical advice from snowy Hokkaido, courtesy of The Galavanting Family
 
A local's guide to ancient pilgrimage trails and natural wonders in nearby Mie
 
Culinary journey through Japan
Tickle your tastebuds with a look at Intrepid's Real Food Adventure Tour 
P O S T C A R D S 
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J A P A N

Fleeting beauty, memories for a lifetime
Feels like we've all learnt something about the art of apprieciation lately. Japan's cherry blossom season comes and goes fast - a reminder that life may be fleeting, but is still exquisitely beautiful.
 
Nothing says this like HANAFUBUKI 花吹雪 - a 'blossom blizzard' so enchantingly beautiful you almost forget that it's a goodbye (until next year!)
 
HANAFUBUKI are a mainstay of life in Japan, as they also signal springtime renewal and the start of a new school year, or graduation. That's why this month we asked our friends in Japan for their local advice on best spots for viewing cherry blossoms at their prime. 
 
Here are a couple of things we discovered together:
1) Kitakami Tenshochi Park in Iwate is your place to see a 2 km cherry blossom tunnel 🌸
2) If you want to see another side of Japanese culture, join Shibuya's Halloween party 🎃
3) Visit Kyushu to face your fears and look straight into the bubbling crater of Mt. Aso 🌋

Read on below for more
That’s it from us for this month!
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