We Are Going To Korea This Summer To See Cherry Blossoms

When is the best time to see the cherry blossoms in 2018?

The truth is that every year is a little different, and it’s really impossible to accurately predict when the season will start until about a month before.Location matters as well, since it starts in the south such as Okinawa, often in late January, and moves northward up to Hokkaido which often occurs in early May. Elevation matters as well since colder areas bloom later when the weather warms up.There are different varieties of cherry blossoms as well and they don’t all bloom at the same time.Kyushu and the southern half of Honshu both bloom at nearly the same time - only a few days apart. Tokyo actually has a start date that is a bit earlier than Kyoto.As a ballpark estimate, often the end of March and the first part of April are the average times of blooming.You can see some typical listing of bloom times here.There are also a few sites that gives forecasts on when the season will start, usually beginning in February. You could look at Weathermap, the JNTO page, and Rurubu from time to time in February.Lately, tourist crowds have been getting very large at the popular spots in Tokyo and Kyoto. Finding a lesser known place is often the key to having a great experience.

What is the best time and place to see cherry blossoms (full bloom) in Japan?

Hi! I am assuming you are planning a trip for 2016. I'm an American expat living in Japan since 2006. I have lived in Kyoto for the past 4 years.I would recommend to continually check that website you linked to in your question, and come slightly earlier than the prediction. If you can, plan to visit places in the southwest (ie Kyoto) and head northeast (ie Tokyo) as the days progress. Places closer to the equator bloom quicker, so starting in the south and working your way up will increase your chances of seeing a full bloom somewhere. (If you travelled north to south, you could end up "missing" blossoms in both locations)Please keep in mind, though, no matter how much you plan ahead, there is a chance you will not see a full bloom. Cherry blossoms are quite temperamental, and respond quickly to changes in weather. One day of abnormally warm weather and the trees can bloom overnight, ahead of schedule. One day of heavy rain and all the petals can fall off before trees ever reach full bloom.Kyoto is considered, by the people of Japan, to be the destination for cherry blossoms because of all of the temples, shrines, and traditional architecture. TV programs always do a special showing the cherry blossoms of Kyoto. That said, if you care more about the flowers and less about the background image (or if you like the mix of pink flowers and urban architecture), cherry blossoms are prettiest when you catch them in full bloom regardless of what part of the country. My favorite places to see cherry blossoms in Kyoto are along the Philosopher's Path, Kitayama Botanical Gardens at night (they illuminate the trees), Kiyamachi both at night and day, and a place called Sewaritei located in Yawata City. But really, there will be pretty trees literally everywhere you walk.Hopefully some other people can help answer good places to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo. I might recommend visiting Roppongi or Tokyo Midtown if you want to stay in the city, or visit Inokashira park and Koganei park if you can afford a half hour train ride out to west Tokyo. I think someone who currently lives in Tokyo might be able to give more interesting recommendations, though.I hope this helps!

Where can cherry blossoms be found naturally?

Cherry blossom is speculated to be native to the Himalayas. Currently it is widely distributed, especially in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere including Europe, West Siberia, India, China, Korea, Japan, Canada, and the United States. In the Western world, the cherry blossom symbolizes Japan .

Why are cherry blossoms famous in Japan? Is there any historical reason behind it?

If you are lucky enough to be in Japan during cherry blossom season, it is de rigueur to head out into the local parks and gardens, bring a selection of picnic food and drinks and join the locals for a hanami - or "flower-viewing".The tradition of hanami has a history stretching back over many centuries, thought to have begun during the Nara Period (710-794), so by getting involved you will be joining in one of Japan's best-loved and most time-honoured rituals.Though the term hanami has been used almost exclusively to refer to cherry blossom-viewing parties since the Heian Period (794-1185), historically the Japanese held hanami parties beneath wisteria and plum blossom too. Some older Japanese still gather to view the plum blossom (ume) today, as a more sedate alternative to the sometimes raucous hanami gatherings.In ancient Japan, cherry blossom had great importance because it announced the rice-planting season and was used to divide the year's harvest. Its fleeting beauty, moreover, was celebrated as a metaphor for life itself - and it was praised in numerous poems of the era.Such was its significance that the Japanese believed the sakura trees contained spirits, and made offerings to them with rice wine. This grew into the tradition of the hanami party - a celebration of feasting, drinking and making merry that is thought to have begun in the Imperial court of Emperor Saga and gradually filtered down through the samurai classes to become a tradition beloved by all echelons of society.Spring in Japan can only mean one thing: cherry blossom.Sandwiched between the long, bitter winter months and the sweltering humidity of summer, spring is by far the most popular time in Japan. The atmosphere at this time of year is infectious, with parks packed with revellers and supermarket shelves stacked with the latest blossom-flavoured snacks and drinks.The cherry blossom (or sakura) "front" sweeps along the length of the country each year, beginning with Okinawa in the far south in February and working its way along Japan to northern Hokkaido in May. A variety of factors can affect when the cherry blossom comes into bloom: a particularly cold winter can mean that the flowers come out late, unseasonably mild weather can usher them out sooner, and heavy rain can mean that the trees drop their petals much quicker than otherwise. For this reason, the forecast is followed avidly throughout the sakura season!