The sakura (cherry blossom in Japanese) average blooming time can vary widely based on the geographical location within the country. Areas with milder winter climates produce earlier bloom times. Blooms usually open first in the southern region and blooming progresses northward. Wind, rain, and temperature can cause the blossoms to appear either earlier or later than average and can lengthen or shorten the blooming season.
The cherry blossom usually starts from the south, at the end of March, in Kyushu, where the temperature begins to rise earlier, and the cherry blossoms bloom northward until early May in Hokkaido.
The usual flowering period begins from the beginning of April until the end of the month, although this varies by region and the weather. It blooms and then soon falls from the branches. This fleeting blossoming moment epitomizes the unique sensitivity of the Japanese people that “all things will eventually pass” and their awareness of such impermanence. This flower cannot be separated from Japan’s culture, and it is written frequently in traditional poetry like haiku and tanka.
In Japan, the graduation ceremony is held in March and the entrance ceremony follows in April. The timing explains why most songs sung during both ceremonies are about sakura.
Also, for bilateral relations efforts, it is common for Japan to send sakura trees as a gift as seen with Japan sending sakura trees to the U.S. In return, the U.S. returned the kind gesture by presenting dogwood trees to Japan. For more fun facts that help you get to know sakura better,
Every year in Japan, forecasts on when the flowers will bloom, the best viewing spots, and so forth are the topics of conversation or news headlines during the spring.
It is no doubt that the sakura will always have a special place in the hearts of the Japanese people and every year, the people look forward to its blossoms. Because the flower represents Japan, it is also popular overseas, and many tourists come to Japan during the cherry blossom season to see the beauty of the flowers.
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