Sakura season begins in Tokyo, 15 days later than in 2023

People taking photos of a kawazu cherry blossom tree, one of the earliest blooming cherry blossoms in Japan, in Tokyo on March 11. PHOTO: AFP

TOKYO (The Straits Times/ANN): Heading to Japan next weekend? You are in luck. Sakura season officially began in Tokyo on March 29, and trees are expected to be in full bloom in about a week.

This is five days later than usual and 15 days later than in 2023.

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, this year’s cherry blossom season is the latest to start in a decade.

The elusive flowers were previously predicted to start blooming as early as last week, but many people were left disappointed when a sudden cold snap delayed their arrival.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said in a post on X on March 29 that the somei yoshino blossoms have erupted in Tokyo.

Somei yoshino is one of the most common cherry tree varieties, with slightly pink, almost white, five-petalled blossoms.

Flowering cherry blossoms and buds from a sample cherry tree in Tokyo on March 29. - PHOTO: AFP

The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that an agency official observed that at least five flowers had bloomed on the specimen somei yoshino tree at the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo at about 2pm.

This sakura tree in Chiyoda Ward is used every year to gauge the forecast and the official start of the capital’s sakura season.

All 47 prefectures in Japan have at least one specimen tree. When five to six flowers on the specimen tree open, the sakura in an entire region is said to have started flowering. The trees reach full bloom when 80 per cent of its buds have opened.

Earlier in March, the Japan Weather Association had predicted that for 2024, the season of pink would begin in Tokyo on March 19, and cherry trees would reach full bloom on March 25.

Another prediction, by the Japan Meteorological Corporation, had the sakura flowering in Tokyo on March 23, and reaching full bloom on March 30.

Due to warmer temperatures in Tokyo at the start of March, cherry blossoms were expected to bloom earlier, but a cold snap delayed the dawn of spring.

Last week, the unpredictable weather turned chilly, causing a sudden cold wave to sweep through Tokyo, along with bouts of rain. According to weather forecast services, the cherry trees bloomed later, as it was not warm enough for the buds to unfurl their petals. - The Straits Times/ANN