In Bloom: A Complete Guide to Cherry Blossom Season in Japan
There is no other place on Earth that celebrates cherry blossoms quite like Japan.

Not only do the tiny pink flowers possess beauty, but cherry blossoms are also a crucial component in Japanese culture.

A wide variety of cherry tree species numbering in the hundreds are found throughout all of Japan. In fact, the cherry blossom is so popular it is considered Japan’s unofficial national flower. And their arrival is widely celebrated throughout the country during the spring season with food, song, dance, and camaraderie.

These tiny flowers have been celebrated for centuries. And today, travelers come from around the world to see them each spring. Japan’s iconic cherry blossoms even have their very own forecast, which allows savvy travelers to plan their trips during peak viewing times.

Wherever your travels may take you, you don’t want to miss the magic of cherry blossom season in Japan.

Here’s everything you need to know about this wonderful time of year, including the nation’s most celebrated cherry blossom festivals, plus when and where you can see the best blooms.
When do cherry blossom festivals take place in Japan?
When do cherry blossom festivals take place in Japan?
Cherry blossom season in Japan occurs annually throughout the spring season.

While the peak viewing times vary from region to region, most cherry blossom festivals begin around the end of March and can last well into the month of May.

The weather plays a pivotal role in when the blooming season begins and ends. Keep an eye on the local cherry blossom forecast to experience the blossoms at their best.
Cherry blossom season in Japan occurs annually throughout the spring season. While the peak viewing times vary from region to region, most cherry blossom festivals begin around the end of March and can last well into the month of May. The weather plays a pivotal role in when the blooming season begins and ends.
The cherry blossom, or sakura, is the flower of trees in Prunus subgenus Cerasus. "Sakura" usually refers to flowers of ornamental cherry trees, such as cultivars of Prunus serrulata, not trees grown for their fruit[1]: 14–18 [2] (although these also have blossoms). Cherry blossoms have been described as having a vanilla-like smell, which is mainly attributed to coumarin.

Wild species of cherry tree are widely distributed, mainly in the Northern Hemisphere.[3][4][5] They are common in East Asia, especially in Japan, where they have been cultivated, producing many varieties.[6]: 40–42, 160–161 

Most of the ornamental cherry trees planted in parks and other places for viewing are cultivars developed for ornamental purposes from various wild species. In order to create a cultivar suitable for viewing, a wild species with characteristics suitable for viewing is needed. Prunus speciosa (Oshima cherry), which is endemic to Japan, produces many large flowers, is fragrant, easily mutates into double flowers and grows rapidly. As a result, various cultivars, known as the Cerasus Sato-zakura Group, have been produced since the 14th century and continue to contribute greatly to the development of hanami (flower viewing) culture.[1]: 27, 89–91 [6]: 160–161  From the modern period, cultivars are mainly propagated by grafting, which quickly produces cherry trees with the same genetic characteristics as the original individuals, and which are excellent to loo
Classifying cherry trees is often confusing, since they are relatively prone to mutation and have diverse flowers and characteristics, and many varieties (a sub-classification of species), hybrids between species, and cultivars exist. Researchers have assigned different scientific names to the same type of cherry tree throughout different periods.[1]: 32–37 

In Europe and North America, ornamental cherry trees are classified under the subgenus Cerasus ("true cherries"), within the genus Prunus. Cerasus consists of about 100 species of cherry tree, but does not include bush cherries, bird cherries, or cherry laurels (other non-Cerasus species in Prunus are plums, peaches, apricots, and almonds). Cerasus was originally named as a genus in 1700 by de Tournefort. In 1753, Linnaeus combined it with several other groupings to form a larger Prunus genus. Cerasus was later converted into a section and then a subgenus, this system becoming widely accepted, but some botanists resurrected it as a genus instead.[12] In China and Russia, where there are many more wild cherry species than in Europe, Cerasus continues to be used as a genus.[1]: 14–18 

In Japan, ornamental cherry trees were traditionally classified in the genus Prunus, as in Europe and North America, but after a 1992 paper by Hideaki Ohba of the University of Tokyo, classification in the genus Cerasus became more common.[1]: 14–18  This means that (for example) the scientific name Cerasus incisa is now used in Japan instead of Prunus incisa.[13]

свернуть