First bloom of Somei Yoshino in central Tokyo was declared on the 21st. Five days earlier than average, and exactly the same as 2016. Surprisingly, Tokyo led the country. Perhaps the weekend’s extra-warm spell opened them all at once. Still, a national first in nine years is not wildly rare.
Bloom is confirmed by Meteorological Agency staff on a designated “reference tree” in each region. Tokyo’s is at Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda Ward; about 10:00 a.m. this day, five blossoms were confirmed. There used to be a “a few blossoms” standard; according to the Japan Weather Association the current definition is “the first day five or six or more flowers have opened on the specimen tree.” Full bloom is “the first day 80 percent or more of the buds on the specimen tree have opened.”
Bloom or not, Tokyo that day had cold rain; after a midnight high of 12.9°C the temperature kept falling, staying in the 8–10°C range by day — nearly 10 degrees cooler than the day before, far from a bright cherry-bloom image. I left Palaceside Building to look at the trees along the Imperial Palace moat; the buds still felt tight, with no sense they were about to open (photo above).
The rain should stop on the 22nd and fresher weather return. The Agency expects Tokyo to reach full bloom seven to ten days after first bloom — so the end of March.
Speaking of cherries: the Chiyoda Sakura Festival, held every year around ward spots such as Chidorigafuchi, Yasukuni Shrine and Kitanomaru Park. This year it runs ten days, Tuesday, March 28 through Thursday, April 6, with ceremonies and events at various venues. For hanami visitors the usual free shuttle “Sakura Festival-go” will run April 1 (Sat) 10:00–18:00 and April 2 (Sun) 10:00–17:00, about every 20 minutes.
As in the route map at left, there are two courses: a loop Otemachi → Takebashi → Kudanshita → Jimbocho → Awajicho → Akihabara → Nihonbashi, and a loop around Otemachi and Marunouchi, with a transfer at Tokyo Sankei Building in Otemachi. (A detailed map is at the end)
On the ward road under the expressway behind Palaceside Building (northwest), just before Uchibori-dori, the temporary shuttle stop “Takebashi Mainichi Newspapers-mae” will be set up as usual.
Palaceside Building is a sponsor and will help lift the festival. Ordinary Sundays the building is closed, but April 2 it will open specially: west and other doors, and in-building escalators. Some first-floor and first-basement restaurants and shops plan to trade (please check each shop for hours). Please do stop by.
Since 2014 the palace’s Inui-dori has been opened to the public in cherry season; this year, as in the December 2016 foliage period, it is closed for tree-renewal work. Please look forward to next year.
