Cherry Blossoms Bloom in Central Tokyo – Earliest Ever in Observation History

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) announced on March 14th that it observed cherry blossoms blooming in central Tokyo, the earliest ever recorded in observation history.

The official observation, carried out by a staff member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Meteorological Observatory at Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda Ward, means that this year’s first bloom is seven days earlier than last year’s and twelve days earlier than the average year. The earliest flowering record to date was March 16th, in both 2002 and 2013. Cherry blossoms have already been observed blooming in Okinawa and the Amami islands, located southwest of Kyushu.

The sample Yoshino cherry tree at Yasukuni Shrine. The JMA does official observations at this designated sample tree every year. Photo: haru__q via Flickr, taken in 2015.

The JMA explains that during record warm weather this year, there was a period of temporary cooling which caused flower buds to open up and then to continue breaking out of dormancy. A staff member of the Tokyo meteorological observatory took measurements at the so-called sample tree at 2PM on March 14th and observed a 5-wheeled blossom, which is the official criterium for an open blossom. The JMA noted that at the same time, the average temperature in central Tokyo was about 2.5-degrees Celsius and snow was falling in some parts of the capital.

Full bloom of cherry blossoms in central Tokyo is forecast to occur in about seven to ten days.

Japan Meteorological Corporation Cherry Blossom Forecast

On March 12th, the Japan Meteorological Corporation (JMC, not JMA) released its seventh forecast for the blooming of Yoshino cherry blossoms in 1,000 locations across the country, and had forecast that central Tokyo would see its first blossoms on March 16th.

The JMC’s most recent forecast is as follows, for major locations in Japan.

For the full JMC forecast, please visit: 2020 Cherry Blossom Forecast


Dive Deeper

There are many famous cherry blossom viewing locations in Tokyo. In a typical year, places like Shinjuku Gyoen (National Garden), Meguro, Ueno, Chidorigafuchi, and Aoyama Cemetery are swamped with locals and tourists doing the annual sakura pilgrimage.

But one of the great things about living in Japan (and Tokyo, too!) is that almost every neighborhood has its own park, river walk, shrine or temple where you can do cherry blossom viewing without venturing too far from home.

Here are just a few representative examples:

Yanaka Cemetery – Nippori

The cherry blossoms in Yanaka Cemetery. Photo: Multa via Wikimedia Commons

Koishikawa Botanical Gardens – Bunkyo Ward

Koishikawa Botanical Garden, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo. Image: Wikimedia

Kinuta Park – Yoga, Setagaya Ward

Kinuta Park, shuzo serikawa via Flickr

Lead photo: Wikimedia

Source: weathernews.jp, March 14, 2020 (in Japanese)


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