Somei Yoshino cherries in central Tokyo are in full bloom. The Japan Meteorological Agency declared it on April 2: about 80 percent of the blossoms were open on the “standard tree” at Yasukuni Shrine (Chiyoda Ward). Full bloom in Tokyo was one day earlier than average and two days later than 2016; as with first bloom, Tokyo was the earliest in the country to reach full bloom.
So at lunch on Monday the 3rd I walked around Palaceside Building. Leaving the west
entrance, the bank of Hirakawa Moat across Takebashi Crossing was busy with foreign visitors photographing flowers (photo above). That, though, is weeping cherry. And Somei Yoshino?
I walked up Kii-no-kuni Slope; Somei Yoshino were barely out. At the pedestrian bridge by Kitahanebashi Gate I finally found a tree that looked full (photo at right, above). From the bridge toward Inui Gate there were more full-bloom trees, a small relief (photo at right, below).
Coming down the other side of the slope was also unimpressive; the tree in front of the National Archives had only scattered blossoms (photo at left, below).
Temperatures have been slow to rise, and both the weekend and this Monday the air was quite
chilly, so perhaps the cherries have not yet felt spring.
Looked at another way, the flowers should last longer. Many schools hold entrance ceremonies around the next weekend. We may yet see new uniforms under a blizzard of petals.
