The Search for Cherry Blossoms: Tokyo Edition

One of the main reasons we decided to visit Japan this year is because we had the rare opportunity to travel during the spring. And that means cherry blossom season!

Japan takes their cherry blossoms, or sakura, very seriously. These beautiful flowers hold a lot of cultural significance, representing themes of renewal, hope, and the impermanence of life. Indeed, a cherry tree typically blooms for only a week or so each spring. So far on our trip, we have seen lots of ads featuring the sakura, as well as posters for sakura-themed festivals and tours.

We planned our trip to Japan in consultation with the cherry blossom forecasts. The “cherry blossom front” typically moves south to north between late March and late April. So, we are moving north to south to increase the odds of seeing the sakura. Cherry blossoms were not originally forecasted for Tokyo until early April, and so we expected to arrive too early to see them here.

But, likely due to some unseasonably warm weather/climate change, the forecast was moved up a bit, and a few odd trees were already in bloom during our visit.

Based on current predictions, we should be exactly on time to see the sakura in full bloom in Kyoto and Osaka, and possibly on the Kumano Koto trail as well. Stay tuned for lots more cherry blossom photos!