According to the Japan Times, tourists and Japanese people who have been flocking to Tokyo's most beautiful cherry blossom viewing spots in recent days to enjoy the cherry blossom season have arrived in the capital later than usual due to the cold weather this year.
The most popular Somei Yoshino cherry blossom variety has bloomed in Japan. Photo: AFP-JIJ
The elegant, dark flowers bloom in a distinctive pink and white color scheme - known as cherry blossoms in Japanese - over the protective moat of the Imperial Palace, where people gather to take photos or simply admire the view.
The custom of viewing cherry blossoms in early spring in Japan is called Hanami. Japanese people often gather to eat, drink, and chat with relatives and friends under the shade of cherry trees in parks or by rivers. They believe that petals falling into wine glasses is a sign of good luck. Hanami originates from the custom of welcoming the God of the Fields by Japanese farmers.
Ms. Michitaka Saito, 68 years old, said cherry blossoms are symbolic of the land and when you see the flowers, you feel happy and beautiful.
"Seeing the flowers makes me feel like I'm having a good start to the new year," added Michitaka Saito.
Cherry blossom season traditionally accompanies the start of the new fiscal year in Japan, symbolizing fresh beginnings but also the fleeting impermanence of life.
Eiko Hirose, 76, said enjoying cherry blossom viewing with her husband Sadao "means I'm healthy, he's nice and we're all having a good time."
"We take it for granted that we will be able to see the flowers again in the following years," said Eiko Hirose.
In Japan, cherry blossoms have more than 600 different varieties with diverse shapes and colors. Today, Somei-Yoshino cherry blossoms are the most popular variety grown in this country. Visitors can see the five-petal Somei-Yoshino cherry blossoms with gentle pink color in many places throughout Japan.
Late blooming cherry blossoms
Visitors stroll through seasonal cherry blossoms at Ueno Park on April 5, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the country's most popular Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms have reached full bloom, four days later than the annual average. This year, the first flowers began blooming on March 29 in Tokyo, five days later than usual. This year's cherry blossoms began blooming and reached full bloom in the capital city the latest in about a decade.
The agency also blamed this year's late blooming on cold weather and warned that climate change is causing the delicate flowers to appear earlier.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, "long-term temperature increase is one cause" or another is the urban heat island effect.
Last year, cherry blossoms began blooming on March 14 — the earliest date on record along with 2020 and 2021 — and reached full bloom on March 22. Since 1953, the average cherry blossom blooming date in Japan has been moving earlier by about 1.2 days every 10 years.
The blooming time of cherry trees depends on the weather. In warmer climates, the flowers bloom earlier, moving from south to north in Japan. Cherry blossoms bloom earliest in the south, possibly as early as late February.
In major cities in the central region such as Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, cherry blossom season usually takes place in late March and early April. The flowers bloom the most in early April and are a symbol of new beginnings, so events such as opening ceremonies, grand openings and festivals often take place during this time.
Tourism to Japan has boomed since border restrictions were lifted and more international visitors arrived.
Tourists who have visited Japan in the spring all share their desire to experience the purity and brilliant beauty of cherry blossoms with their own eyes. Tourists like Kamilla Kielbowska, 35, from New York, have planned a third trip to Japan to see the flowers in bloom.
"We arrived here on March 23 and rushed to the park straight from the airport, I couldn't miss the chance to see the cherry blossoms," added Kamilla Kielbowska.
However, "it was very cold and none of the trees were blooming. I was sad but still hoped that I could still see the flowers in full bloom before leaving. The scene was "amazing" and "very magical".
According to Mr. Katsuhiro Miyamoto, Professor Emeritus at Kansai University, cherry blossom season in Japan always stimulates tourism to Japan and promotes the country's economic development through activities ranging from tourism to parties under the flowers./.
Source: https://toquoc.vn/nhat-ban-hut-hon-khach-du-lich-trong-mua-hoa-anh-dao-20240409152043229.htm
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