Romantic date destinations in Japan

My husband and I have lived in Japan for almost all our married life, and we have taken various trips and visited numerous destinations that definitely fit the romantic theme. Reflecting back on them these are some ideas I would recommend!

Flower festivals

I have really learned to appreciate seasonality since living in Japan, and I always look forward to the various flower festivals held here. As well as being visually beautiful, they're a romantic place to stroll around with a loved one as you appreciate the blooms. I often see couples arm-in-arm at these events, and although in this season of life my husband and I are wrangling children as we enjoy the flowers, I still find them to be a romantic destination!

Some of my favorites over the years have included:

• Sakura Festival at Zenibuchi Park, Niigata - usually takes place in early April
• Shiofune Kannon Azalea Festival in Ome, Tokyo – takes place around mid-April
• The Fuji Shibazakura Festival in Yamanashi (pictured below) – usually takes place during May

Cloudy, but beautifully romantic at the Fuji Shibazakura Festival

Onsen getaways

One of my favorite things to do when we have the opportunity to is visit a ryokan with on-site onsen facilities. The combination of great food, relaxing baths, and not really having to do anything other than chill is so romantic!

My favorite ever has been Konansou, a ryokan with amazing views of Mount Fuji on clear days. A close runner up was Seikai, a ryokan in Beppu which has private in-room onsen facilities looking out over Beppu Bay.

We had this view of Mount Fuji from our balcony onsen at Konansou, a ryokan in Yamanashi Prefecture. Super romantic!

Theme Parks

One thing I've noticed about theme parks in Japan is that they're not just places for kids – they're very popular as date destinations for couples. Pre-kids, my husband and I visited Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea plus Fuji-Q Highland, and it was fun to enjoy activity-based dates where we could take happy snaps and go on some of the fun rides together.

Game Arcades

Before living in Japan I probably would have scoffed at a game arcade as a date destination for grown adults – back home they've got a bit of a reputation as a teenage riff-raff place. That's not the case here, though, and I think they're a super fun way to spend some time with your significant other. There are so many unique games to play like the taiko drumming ones (a favorite of ours!), and you can also commemorate the occasion with some purikura photos. I love looking back on the ones we've collected throughout the years – they bring back a lot of good memories, and it's not very often you can have a date with an on-site photo booth!

Of course, these suggestions are only the tip of the iceberg – there are so many great date options here! Fancy restaurants, observation decks for night views, illuminations, and afternoon tea events are some of my other favorites.