Who doesn’t love the sight of cherry blossoms in full bloom? It’s a big deal for both locals and tourists in Japan. And guess what? They’re finally here, though fashionably late.
So, here’s the scoop from Sora News 24: back in January, the Weather News folks in Japan made their first call on when the cherry blossoms would pop up this year. They said Tokyo would start seeing them around March 17.
But hold up, things changed in February. The weather forecast got a makeover, pushing the bloom date to March 20. Then, it changed again to March 18. And just when we thought we had it, early March came with a new guess: March 19.
But, surprise, surprise! None of those guesses were right. The Japan Meteorological Agency dropped the bomb that cherry blossom season in Tokyo actually started on March 29. That’s almost two weeks later than what everyone thought. It’s also five days later than usual and the latest it’s been in the past 10 years. Last year, they were blooming 15 days earlier.
So, why the delay? Experts blame the wonky temperatures. February felt warmer than usual, while March got a bit chilly. This messed with the cherry blossoms’ schedule, making them late to the party.
But hey, there’s a silver lining to this late bloom. For the Japanese, it’s a nostalgic reminder of the good old days when cherry blossoms welcomed in school entrance ceremonies and new jobs in early April.
“This used to be the norm 30 years ago – cherry blossoms in full swing at the start of April during school ceremonies,” said one local.
“It felt like the start of something new,” added another with a smile.
Now, the latest scoop from the meteorological agency: they reckon cherry blossoms in central Tokyo will hit full bloom around April 4. It’s been seven years since they bloomed in April in Tokyo. Considering they were in full swing around March 24 last year, this year’s blossoms are fashionably late by five days.
Word on the street is that the warm weather ahead will speed up the cherry blossoms’ bloom time, so they’ll be showing off their beauty in no time, not just in Tokyo but in other parts of Japan too.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Japan in the next week, you’re in luck. You’re just in time for the cherry blossom extravaganza!