Japan blossoms for Chinese tourists

Sherry blossoms in Hirosaki Castle. Photo provided to China Daily

At the same time, Chinese travel agencies are confident that the depreciation of the yen in recent months will further boost the Japanese tourism market. In November, it fell to a seven-year low against the dollar.

"Shopping in Japan is very important for Chinese visitors. The devaluation of the yen makes the travel cost lower and Japanese goods cheaper. In the beginning of 2014, 10,000 Japanese yen equaled about 800 yuan, but it is more than 500 yuan now," says Rao Tian, deputy general manager of the overseas tourism department, China International Travel Service Limited, Head Office.

Wang says it's a double-edged sword. On the one hand, more and more foreigners are visiting Japan. On the other hand, the Japanese are shifting to domestic travel away from overseas tours.

"The problem is that it's not easy to book a train ticket or accommodations at peak seasons. It's Japan's national strategy to build a tourism country, but they don't have sufficient tourism capacity."

Wang suggests that those who travel to popular places in peak seasons, such as Hokkaido in winter, should make their tour plans at least three months in advance to ensure the best travel experience.

He also recommends a less-crowded destination, the Tohoku region of Japan, which consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu Island. It offers excellent hot springs, ski areas and many places to enjoy red leaves and cherry blossoms.