The cherry blossom season of Japan is really a big thing and the best time to visit the country. During this season, the trees go into full bloom across the entire country. There is a term in Japan called ‘Hanami’, which means watching the cherry blossoms and having fun under them.
The forecast of the season is done by the Japan Meteorological Corporation, where the department predicts the dates of the cherry blossoms to begin flowering and bloom completely all over the country.
This year’s cherry blossom season is likely to begin with its first flowering around March 18 on the island of Shikoku. Tokyo is expected to witness its flowering around March 22, and by March 29, the entire city will see the full bloom. The season will begin in Kyoto from March 25 and bloom fully by April 2 followed by May 4 and May 8 in Sapporo, respectively.
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The flowering and bloom dates of the season depend upon the temperature levels from the levels of the last fall. The peak cherry blossom season is usually short and goes on for two weeks starting from the flowering to the full bloom and falling of the trees.
Visitors planning a trip to Japan around cherry blossom should keep a tap of the JMC website and track the progress of the trees in the above mentioned regions, keeping in mind the awakening, growth and full bloom levels.
The best places within Japan to see the full bloom of the season are Shinjuku Gyoen and Yoyogi in Tokyo, however, the season is prevalent in around 1,000 locations in Japan.
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The significance of the cherry blossom celebration in Japan is that Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the great warlord and unifier of Japan, is believed to have hosted a majestic ‘hanami’ party in 1598 in Kyoto for the feudal lords and their followers. The sakura trees from which the flowering takes place are popular since the eighth century till now.
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