cherry blossoms

Cherry blossoms are called “sakura” in Japanese. Sakura is the national flower of Japan. Although cherry blossoms bloom outside of Japan as well, Japanese people take great care of them because they love them dearly. They meticulously maintain not only the cherry blossom trees themselves but also the surrounding environment.

It takes about two weeks from the bud opening to the petals falling. I believe it’s also about one week from full bloom to petals falling. During this short period, Japanese people go to see the cherry blossoms and feel the arrival of spring.

Furthermore, large gatherings called “hanami” are held in urban areas. People drink alcohol during the day for hanami. They gather with friends or colleagues from work. Some people even go to reserve spots by laying out blue sheets the day before.

You’d be surprised to see the scene of hanami! During the day, many people of all ages gather to drink alcohol and enjoy themselves while looking at the cherry blossoms. It’s like a festival!

One famous place in Tokyo is Ueno Park. You’ll be overwhelmed! However, if you want to leisurely enjoy cherry blossoms, I recommend going to the countryside rather than Tokyo.

One of the reasons why Japanese people love cherry blossoms so much is said to be the “transience” of them blooming all at once and then falling all at once.

After they fall, the leaves and cherry blossoms switch places.

It was a row of cherry blossom trees, but about a week after full bloom, the cherry blossoms mix with the fresh greenery like this.

Even in this state, it’s beautiful.

Now, as explained, the cherry blossoms last for about two weeks, but the flowering time varies every year. It’s around one to two weeks, which is a significant time frame for travelers. Generally, they reach full bloom from late March to early April.

Cherry blossoms in Japan bloom from south to north. So, if you hear “They’ve already fallen in Tokyo!”, you can head north where cherry blossoms might still be blooming. The place where cherry blossoms bloom last in Japan is said to be “Nemuro City in Hokkaido”, and it’s around May 5th when they reach full bloom.