Cherry blossom season in Japan draws tourists from all over the world for an event that captures the ephemeral nature of beauty. Throughout the country, cherry blossoms erupt in astonishing color in the spring for a very short time, and tourists flock to various cities from January to June to view the cultural event that Japanese citizens have celebrated for more than a thousand years.
Forecasts for Likely Viewing Times
Wind, weather and temperatures affect the dates when trees begin to blossom. Forecasts for 2013 include the following dates provided by the Japanese Weather Association:
|
Location
|
Begins
|
Best Viewing Dates
|
| Aomori |
April 24 |
April 29 to May 6 |
| Fukushima |
April 10 |
April 15 to April 22 |
| Hiroshima |
March 24 |
April 1 to April 9 |
| Hakodate |
May 1 |
May 5 to May 12 |
| Kanazawa |
April 2 |
April 8 to April 15 |
| Kyoto |
March 25 |
April 1 to April 10 |
| Nagoya |
March 24 |
March 31 to April 8 |
| Tokyo |
March 25 |
April 1 to April 10 |
Hanami Festivals Highlight Flowering Romance
Hanami is the Japanese custom of taking time to view flowers, and cherry blossoms in full bloom create one of the world’s most spectacular tourist attractions. Retirees, frequent travelers and professional couples can enjoy viewing the blossoms at different times in various Japanese cities, rekindling romances, taking part in a world-class celebration of the arts and enjoying the company of similar people who take an interest in the finer humanistic disciplines.
You can choose from formal tours, personal travel or pick a favorite hotel to combine festival visits, trips to tourist attractions and cherry blossom viewing activities to get the most from your vacation. In fact, you need not worry too much about exact dates because fast train rides can get you quickly to the best areas for viewing.
Popular festivals sites include Asukayama Park, above JR Oji Station in Tokyo, and Koishikawa Botanical Garden near Hakusan and Myogadani Stations, and both events take place in early April in 2013. Popular areas to consider for your trip include Marunouchi and Shinjuku Tokyo
and the Ginza hotel.
The Golden Route Tour
The Golden Route of Japan tours of Tokyo and Kyoto offer visits to cultural landmarks, shopping destinations and flowering gardens amidst historical shrines, temples and Japan’s unique architecture.
Symbol of the Transient Nature of Life
Trips to see the flowering cherry trees in spring make very romantic honeymoons and wedding anniversaries, and arts aficionados will enjoy the astonishing array of festivals, parades, cultural events and gallery showings. Blossoming cherry trees have carved their place as an enduring symbol of Japanese beauty and artistic expression.
