Welcome to the pink and modern world of cherry blossoms in Japan. It’s inconceivable to think about springtime Japan without the long-lasting image of a sea of cherry trees awash with perfect pink blossoms immediately coming to mind.
When the blossoms do arrive (as confirmed by teams of meticulous cherry blossom officials), it’s time to take pleasure in one among the country’s hottest pastimes—hanami, which accurately means “flower gazing” and refers to picnics under the blossoms to admire their beauty.
Why is it so popular?
These flowers have deep symbolism: their transient existence reflects a long-lasting love for the great thing about the fleeting nature of life.
These flowers also symbolize, quite literally, a brand new starting, as April 1 is the primary day of the financial and academic yr in Japan.
When to go to
The first flowers appear in Okinawa often in January and slowly move up the archipelago, passing through the central islands of Japan (including Kyoto AND Tokyo) in late March and early April, then we moved further north and reached Hokkaido in early May.
According to the country’s respected cherry blossom prophets (also generally known as Weather Map sakura forecasters), sakura.weathermap.jp), this yr’s flowers should appear in Tokyo around March 23 (peak blooming on April 2); in Hiroshima – March 29 (peak blooming on April 7); in Kyoto – March 30 (peak blooming on April 7) and in northern Sendai – April 4 (peak blooming on April 14).
Source: The Telegraph | Japan National Tourism Organization
