Cherry blossoms, with their fragile and pure beauty, have long been a spiritual symbol and the most beloved flower of the land of the rising sun. Every spring, when the fragile petals begin to bloom, the whole of Japan seems to be covered in a gentle pink cloak, creating a romantic and vibrant scene.
Normally, the cherry blossom season is at its most brilliant around late March to early April. This is also a particularly important time for the Japanese people, when the new school year and new business year begin. The cherry blossoms not only decorate the natural landscape, but also carry deep meanings of new beginnings, hope and optimism.
Cherry blossoms are Japan's most beloved flower and typically bloom in late March to early April, just in time for the country to usher in the new school and business year.
Recently, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) officially announced that the capital Tokyo has officially entered the brilliant cherry blossom season. This special event was marked by the first flowers of the noble "Somei Yoshino" variety blooming in the sacred Yasukuni Shrine grounds, one of the city's most famous cherry blossom viewing spots. The Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms at Yasukuni Shrine, chosen as the standard to determine the blooming time in the capital, have appeared with at least 6 flowers, meeting all the strict criteria to announce the official start of the cherry blossom season. The moment the delicate petals opened, showing off their gentle pink color, signaled the beginning of the most anticipated festival season of the year.
The capital Tokyo has officially entered the brilliant cherry blossom season when the first flowers
Somei Yoshino is a unique hybrid that combines the beauty of two other famous cherry blossom varieties, Oshima Zakura and Edohigan. It was developed by talented gardeners in Somei Village (now Komagome, Toshima, Tokyo) in the late Edo period and early Meiji period. It was originally known as "Yoshino Zakura", but was later changed to "Somei Yoshino" in honor of its birthplace.
According to information from the JMA, this year's cherry blossoms are in full bloom, which is the same as the average of previous years and five days earlier than last year, when unusually cold weather caused the blossoming season to come later than expected. This shows that this year's weather is quite favorable for the development of cherry blossoms, promising a brilliant and memorable blooming season.
Private weather service company Weathernews Inc. forecasts that cherry blossom trees in western and eastern Japan will begin blooming this month.
In Tokyo, during the weekend of March 22 and 23, temperatures in the capital Tokyo and many other areas in Japan will be higher than normal, with some places as warm as mid-May. The announcement of cherry blossoms is decided based on observations of “standard trees” (also known as “sample trees”) in each locality by the Japan Meteorological Agency. However, to officially announce the blooming date, certain criteria must be followed. Specifically, the blooming date is determined when 5-6 flowers bloom on the “standard tree”. If the number of flowers has not reached this level, this announcement will be postponed. Similarly, the full blooming date (full bloom) must also follow the criteria of when about 80% of the flowers on the tree have bloomed. Due to the effects of climate change, there are more and more cases of flowers not blooming at the same time, especially in Kagoshima, where the agency has to count fallen flowers in the total of 80% of the flowers that have bloomed.
The time when a cherry blossom tree is in full bloom will last about 2 weeks, from when the first flower bud opens until the last petals fall.
Based on historical cherry blossom announcement data, the location with the earliest blooming announcements nationwide is Kochi. Kumamoto and Fukuoka are second, while Tokyo and Kagoshima are third. Cherry blossoms do not always bloom in order from south to north, but can sometimes start blooming in the Kanto region, which includes the capital Tokyo.
Not only Tokyo, private weather service company Weathernews Inc. also forecasts that cherry blossoms in western and eastern Japan will start blooming simultaneously this month. The flowers are expected to bloom in northeastern Japan from early to mid-April and in Hokkaido in late April, creating a picture of cherry blossoms across the country.
Cherry blossom season is not only a natural phenomenon, but also an indispensable part of the culture and spiritual life of the Japanese people. It is a time for them to temporarily put aside their worries, immerse themselves in the beauty of nature and welcome new and promising beginnings.
