While we still might be enduring winter weather and below zero temperatures, the dreams of spring are slowly coming in! Imagine walking under a row of blossoming cherry tree, clear weather with a hint of warmth, it's the best! We'll have to make it through the rest of winter, but every day is a day closer to full bloom.
Cherry blossoms, or sakura, are one of the most popular sights to see in Japan during spring time. Hanami, or cherry blossom viewing is also a popular activity. People gather together to sit underneath the trees and enjoy their beauty as they flow in the wind. In parks such as Shinjuku Gyoen and Ueno Park, many people will bring their own picnic clothes and food, spending plently of time relaxing in the nature.
The cherry blossom forecasts are some of the most anticipated announcements as well. People see them and prepare for the few weeks (sometimes less) that the trees will be at max bloom. Forecasts have started to trickle in, so let's take a brief look at what the Japan Meteorological Agency has to say about sakura for 2024!
Mt. Fuji and blooming sakura
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) updates their sakura forecast page quite regularly, with various statistics on when the flowers are expected to bloom, the date they will be at full bloom, and other dates, such as when flowers bloomed last year.
Cherry blossoms tend to bloom from south to north, meaning that Okinawa should see the flowers coming out earlier than any other prefectures. This also means that Hokkaido will see the blooms come to fruition around May. If you are planning a spring trip, do keep in mind when and where you are going to maximise the amount of blooms that you'll be able to see!
The JMA expects that some sakura in Okinawa to begin blooming this month. Some may have already started to open up! The JMA forecasts that some cherry blossoms in Miyako Island, Okinawa will begin blooming around the 5th of this month, which is actually 12 days earlier than average. 2023 saw last year's cherry blossoms begin to bloom on Janaury 15, ten days later. The capital of Okinawa, Naha, is expected to see the blossoms start to come out on the 13th of January, a week later than they did last year!
There are multiple varieties of cherry blossoms that bloom in Japan. One of the most popular variety of sakura is the somei yoshino, which blooms in a striking white colour. However, there are also other types of cherry trees in Japan, such as the higanzakura and the kawazuzakura. One of the fun aspects of the kawazuzakura is the fact that these cherry blossoms bloom quite early. This year's kawazu forecast is expecting that the flowers will be 20% open by February the 15th, not that far away! As a result, the city of Kawazu in Shizuoka Prefecture holds an annual cherry blossom festival. The 2024 version will be held from February 1st to the 29th.
Plum blossoms also bloom earlier than most cherry blossoms in Japan. Usually, plums blossoms will begin opening in February and March, alongside plum festivals put on by shrines and cities around the country. A top spot to see some plum blossoms in Japan is Kairakuen, a famous landscape garden located in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture. A short ride away from Tokyo, it makes for a fantastic day trip to see some flowers before the full bloom of the cherry blossoms.
Cherry blossom season is slowly approaching, and budding flowers are getting ready to peek their heads out at you. Below is a short list with some cities and dates for the flowers. Keep up to date with this page as we'll continue updating it as more forecast information comes in!
- Ishigaki City, Okinawa - January 22 expected opening
- Miyako City, Okinawa - January 5 expected opening
- Naha, Okinawa - January 13 expecting opening
- Kazawu City, Shizuoka - 20% bloom by February 10
- Tokyo - Blooming began around March 14 in 2023
- Kyoto - Blooming began around March 17 in 2023
- Osaka - Blooming began around March 19 in 2023
- Hiroshima - Blooming began around March 19 in 2023
- Sendai - Blooming began around March 26 in 2023
- Sapporo - Blooming began around April 15 in 2023
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