A good idea? - Japan cruise during 2019 Golden Week timeframe (late April-early May)

I’ve been reading several travel articles that recommend AGAINST going to Japan during Golden Week (during AZ’s very popular April 27th 2019 Japan intensive cruise) - the most busiest time of the year for locals to go away on holiday throughout the country and world. I’d hate to be going on excursions with mobbed highways and tourist sites, and even run the risk of some of the more off-the-beaten track destinations/sites being closed as so often happens from what I can gather (while the locals are away traveling).

Booked this cruise 18 months ago for the fantastic itinerary, but am only now reading up on the details and private tour options. Used to live in China for awhile, and general travel around that country during their Golden Week was a nightmare.

Maybe pick another time of year to go on a cruise to Japan? Any thoughts on this appreciated.

I’ve been reading several travel articles that recommend AGAINST going to Japan during Golden Week (during AZ’s very popular April 27th 2019 Japan intensive cruise) - the most busiest time of the year for locals to go away on holiday throughout the country and world. I’d hate to be going on excursions with mobbed highways and tourist sites, and even run the risk of some of the more off-the-beaten track destinations/sites being closed as so often happens from what I can gather (while the locals are away traveling).

 

Booked this cruise 18 months ago for the fantastic itinerary, but am only now reading up on the details and private tour options. Used to live in China for awhile, and general travel around that country during their Golden Week was a nightmare.

 

Maybe pick another time of year to go on a cruise to Japan? Any thoughts on this appreciated.

We have been considering the similar cruise in September but it looks as if September can be a rainy month.

April is cherry-blossom time which will be crowded, but if you seek out special places (of which there are many) you should find the normal amount of fellow tourists. Japan has a lot of tourist at anytime. Plus being on the cruise, you will not be competing for seats on the trains. July-October is worst part of typhoon season, so it is correct that the weather can be wet AND hot. I would pick cherry-blossom time. I am on the April 14, 2019 cruise, and planing to train travel to Kyushu Japan prior to the cruise.

I am writing from experience and having family that lives in Osaka. You are correct that it will be crowded like you saw in China. If you want to take the Shin anywhere, in order to have a seat, you must book your tickets a year in advance.....or you will be standing if you can even get on.

Tourists from China are traveling to Japan in droves all times of the year and have raised the numbers of visitors to all sites exponentially. Those tourists plus other tourists PLUS all the Japanese going to popular tourists sites will make your time a nightmare. I guarantee you will not be able to see anything and you will be packed like sardines everywhere you go.

The cherry blossoms are special, but you never know when they will pop out.

I love Japan, the food and sites, but I would not go during Golden Week. The Japanese go home to visit family or other relatives which means all transportation will be very crowded. There will not be sites that are closed and waiting in lines will be LONG! Don't think just because you are on an Azamara tour it will be easier for you.

We’ve also booked the 27 April cruise on Quest but will be travelling as we have already booked flights and hotels.

It does seem accurate that Golden Week may potentially complicate things as I have today been communicating with a tour guide regarding visiting the Kawachi Fujien Wisteria Garden but she thinks it will be very difficult if not impossible to secure tickets because of Golden Week.

We canceled our cruise on the 27th and moved to the earlier one on April 14. I was concerned the holiday would add hordes of visitors to the sites I wanted to visit. It cost us $200 to switch but I feel that we did the right thing. We hope to see the cherry blossoms but our main focus is visiting our son and his family working in Yakosuka on the Navy base.

Leo_0n_Geo come over to our roll call https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2584079

The OP asked this question on the April 27 roll call (which we were originally on - now cancelled), and I posted this information there but it may be helpful to others:

There's something else going on in 2019 that you might want to keep tabs on (source: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2282.html - it's a full page on Golden Week)

" Golden Week 2019

In 2019, the Emperor is expected to abdicate on April 30, followed by the ascension to the throne of the new Emperor on May 1. The government is considering making both these days national holidays, in which case May 2 would also become a national holiday (because according to law, a day between two holidays also becomes a holiday). As a result, the Golden Week could become a consecutive ten-day holiday. Calendar makers are urging the government to finalize its decision as quickly as possible.

Under "normal circumstances", the 2019 Golden Week would consist of two separate holidays of three and four days. Travel activity would be anticipated to peak on May 3 with people leaving the large urban centers (especially Tokyo) and on May 5 and 6 in the opposite direction. If Golden Week became an unprecedented 10-day holiday, travel activity would be difficult to predict, but likely peak around the beginning and end of the holiday period. "

Best of luck whatever any of you decide to do and happy cruising.

Thank you very much for the feedback and to The Mice for answering my original post on the Roll Call thread. The more I read, I'm really wary of traveling during Golden Week so will probably book another time (or another cruise).