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The appreciation of these beautiful flowers is nothing new, and in fact, this phenomenon dates back to around the eighth century. While Japan is so often celebrated for its modern outlook on the world, we ought never to forget that in actual fact, tradition far precedes technology.

It is said that hundreds of years ago, the elite of the day would assemble in admiration of the blossoms, and it’s evident that even before this, they could not possibly have gone unnoticed. Over the years they’ve inspired haikus, paintings and a plethora of other creative outlets, but they also represent spirituality, too.

In fact, these flowers and hugely symbolic in Japanese culture, because their ephemeral nature is representative of life itself. The sheer fact that the cherry blossom season is so fleeting is a reminder to appreciate beauty – be it aesthetic or on a much deeper level – because you don’t know when it might be gone. Much like the circle of life, these cherry blossoms of Japan make their appearances in a cyclical manner.

The Japanese calendar also closely aligns with the blooming of the cherry blossoms. Just as Spring symbolises new beginnings, April also coincides with the beginning of both their financial and academic year!

HANAMI

These days, the appreciation of the delightful phenomenon of cherry blossoms in bloom actually has its own name in the Japanese language, “Hanami”. This literally means “flower viewing”, and people from across Japan take time out of their days to go and look at the blossoms, joining visitors who have flocked en masse from all four corners of the globe.

The most rewarding way to appreciate the immense intensity of such wonderful colours is to take time out of your day and just sit. These days, so many of us are glued to our phones, our email accounts at work, or we are so otherwise engaged in technology that we forget to take stock of what matters. Hanami encourages the exact opposite.

Perhaps you could take a picnic with family and friends and enjoy a sunny day basking in the beauty. This is a very typical activity at this time of year. Of course, due to the sheer numbers and diversity of people you might expect to see, some of these picnics may be calm and serene; others still may seem more like parties! Conversely, many find the viewing inspiring, and you may find locals and foreigners alike composing poetry or taking time for their art.

Of course, we do live in a commercial society in this century, and so the appreciation extends beyond nature, too! Supermarkets are filled with plastic iterations of the blossoms, in addition to cherry blossom flavoured foods. Japanese confectionery is often very experimental, and so one might expect to find the likes of cherry blossomed flavour sweets, chocolates, crisps and drinks!

Cherry blossom season is a perfect example of how Japanese people have found harmony between the old and new in their country, using the time to appreciate the blossoms in nature and all other aspects of life.

WHEN DO THE BLOSSOMS BLOOM?

The general rule of thumb is that it is difficult to say exactly when cherry blossom season is going to happen – after all, nature really is a force to be reckoned with! Its total unpredictability is often humbling, and one of the reasons why it is so enchanting to us. However, it is possible to know roughly when to expect the season to begin, and so you can make vague preparations with a fairly realistic chance of success.

As one might expect, the warmer the climate, the earlier you can expect to see the blossoms. This means that following particularly warm spells, the season may occur earlier than in other years. It also means that in the southern islands such as Okinawa, the subtropical temperatures can bring them out as early as January. As the warmth creeps upwards over the rest of the country, they then typically reach the central areas, the likes of which may include popular destinations such as Kyoto and Tokyo. You can usually expect this to be around late March or early April. If you’re visiting later than this, go as far north as you possibly can. Hokkaido, for example, known for its hot springs and ski areas, does not see much progression until early May.

Japan is known for precision in almost every respect, however, the one thing they cannot possibly schedule is cherry blossom season – although it’s not for want of trying!

ADVANCED PREDICTIONS

Because of the sheer importance of cherry blossom season to Japanese people – in addition to the fact that they a nation famed for their superior organisational abilities – Japan has actually succeeded in forecasting the exact arrival of the blossoms.

Since 1951, meteorologists have devoted themselves to monitoring the so-called “cherry blossom front”, which is otherwise known as “sakura zensen” in Japanese. On any given year, you can head to the officially designated website to view their predictions, which typically get more accurate as the time approaches.

This task is based on pure science, and uses a lot of incredibly modern technology. Scientists use complex mathematical formulas to create their forecasts, and then these are broadcast across television screens both in public and in homes, and of course online as well. There is plenty of analysis as part of this forecasting, and the anticipation is indeed part of the excitement!

The build up begins when officials first observe the yoshino cherry trees with their first blooms, as these are the most common ones in the country. Experts watch closely and then, once at least five or six flowers are present, the season is declared officially open!

There’s not much room for a window of error when considering your visit, because the flowers actually only bloom for around a week before their petals fall, like snow-pink confetti, floating to the ground and off the trees. This effect is known as “sakura snow”.

It is recommended that you try to be as flexible as possible initially and wait until these predictions have been released to book your trip. If you attempt to book months or even years in advance, you simply aren’t guaranteed to get the timings right!

WHERE TO SEE CHERRY BLOSSOMS

Cherry blossom season can be witnessed all over the country, although as stipulated, the time of year that you visit may well dictate the best places to go. Some of the most popular locations in the country – both cities and natural regions – are home to some truly stunning patches where there are blossoms in abundance.

A late-night stroll along Philosopher’s Path will make for an enlightening experience, with temples and shrines only adding to the charm of the cherry blossoms. If you want to see the flowers at their best, Maruyama Park is full of people enjoying “hanami”, as is Imperial Palace Park as well.