Cherry Blossoms & Japan
Cherry Blossoms or Sakura originated in China but prospered in Japan, and has become Japan's national flower today. The cherry blossoms, known in Japan as sakura, are well know around the world for their radiant, delicate. and transient beauty. However they are more than simply beautiful trees, as the sakura have powerful ties to Japan’s history, culture and identity. Originally used to divine the year’s harvest, Sakura came to embody Wabi-sabi philosophy and shinto ideals of impermanence, hope and renewal and are now one of Japan’s most iconic natural symbols. Adding to their magic and mystique, the sakura are usually only in full bloom for around one week. Across the diverse landscape of Japan’s main islands, this magical moment can occur between March to early May. After the brief period of full bloom, the small, round shaped flowers start to flutter gracefully from their trees and the blossoms are said to be the most beautiful in this final stage as the white and pink petals gently float to the ground. For many Japanese, the blooming of the cherry blossom trees symbolizes human life, transience and nobleness. The Japanese love to celebrate and cherish the cherry blossoms trees during the limited flowering period and many people hold ‘flower watching’ parties known as hanami. You simply cannot travel to Japan in spring without appreciating the beauty of the sakura and experiencing a hanami party for yourself! Given the cultural significance of the sakura, there are countless events, festivals, and speciality tours that centred around the blooming of the cherry blossom.
Learn more on Sakura HistoryCherry Blossom Blooming Period
Every spring, Japan lights up in bright pink hues as cherry blossom trees come into full bloom all across the country.
While there is a science and methodology that goes into predicting when the cherry blossoms will bloom, the actual
timing of their appearance depends on the weather conditions leading up to spring.
The entire blooming period can last up to 14 days, which includes the days leading up to peak bloom. The National Park
Service (NPS) annually predicts the official peak bloom and shares details on its website, which also indicates that “it
is nearly impossible to give an accurate forecast much more than 10 days before the peak bloom.” The best viewing of the
cherry blossom trees typically lasts four to seven days after peak bloom begins, but the blossoms can last for up to two
weeks under ideal conditions.
Cherry Blossom Viewing
The tradition of celebrating the blooming of cherry trees in Japan is centuries old. Today we can view Cherry Blossoms
not only in Japan but in different cities around the world. Most notably is Japan's gift of 3,020 cherry trees to the
United States, which arrived in Washington, DC on March 26, 1912. The National Cherry Blossom Festival commemorates the
1912 gift of 3,020 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, DC, and celebrates the enduring
friendship between the people of the United States and Japan. Today’s Festival now spans four weeks and welcomes more
than 1.5 million people to enjoy diverse and creative programming promoting traditional and contemporary arts and culture,
natural beauty, and community spirit. Events are primarily free and open to the public.