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Types of cherry blossoms

Sakura or cherry blossom is a member of the rose family, genus Sakura, and originated in the Himalayas.Today, it is widely distributed throughout the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, especially in Asia. Among them, the Japanese archipelago has most of the species of the cherry blossoms. The types of cherry blossoms are complex and there are more than 600 species, but it is common to divide them into two categories: “wild cherry blossoms,or yama-zakura” which grow wild in the mountains and fields. And the other is”Sato-zakura”, which have been bred and improved.

Wild cherry blossoms: a typical example is the Yoshino “yama-zakura”.

Yama-zakura is very similar to Someiyoshino, but its leaves come out at the same time as it blooms. Also, since the blooming time of the yama-zakura varies, it does not fall all at once, so you can enjoy viewing cherry blossoms over a longer period of time. The yama-zakura is generally long-lived, with some trees over 1,000 years old.

Sato cherry blossoms for viewing: Someiyoshino is the representative

Someiyoshino, the most popular cherry blossom in Japan, is thought to have originated in the late Edo period (1603-1868) as a natural breeding of the Oshima cherry blossom and the Edo higan cherry blossom. The flowers bloom prior to the leaves, and are medium-sized, 2-3 cm in diameter, and single-flowered. The flowers bloom all at once, and once they start to bloom, they fall off within 10 days to 2 weeks. “”Someiyoshino”” is also used to forecast the blooming of cherry blossoms, and accounts for about 80% of all cherry trees in Japan. When the spring cherry blossom viewing season is around the corner, “” cherry blossom blooming forecast”” is reported all over the country, and people pay attention to the time of full blooming. Many Japanese people check the blooming forecast in order to enjoy the short cherry blossom season.

When is the best season to see sakura in Japan?

Cherry blossoms in Japan bloom at different times in different regions, but generally reach full bloom between late March and early April. They usually start blooming in the southern regions where the climate is warmer, followed by the Kanto region including Tokyo, the Tohoku region to the north, and Hokkaido. The earliest sakura bloom in Japan is in Okinawa, where the best time to see them is from mid-January to early February. After that, the best time to see cherry blossoms is in mid-March in the Kyushu and Shikoku regions, and in most years, the cherry blossoms in Tokyo reach full bloom in late March. In the Tohoku region, cherry blossoms begin to bloom in early April, and in Hokkaido, the northernmost region in Japan, the flowers bloom in late April. The date of cherry blossom announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency is the first day when five to six flowers or more bloom on a sample tree. The date of full bloom is the first day when more than 80% of the flowers on a sample tree are blooming. And the period between blooming and full bloom is called “” half bloom”” depending on the level of blooming.

Here are some places in Japan where you can enjoy the “three greatest cherry blossoms”

. The three major cherry blossom trees were selected from among the historical sites and scenic spots established in the Taisho era (1912-1926), and are also designated as natural monuments. They are famous for their longevity, the size of their trees, and the beauty of their scenery. In addition to the three major cherry blossoms, the “” Kariyado-no-gebabazakura”” in Shizuoka and the “”Ishido-kabazakura”” in Saitama are sometimes referred to together as the “”Five Major Cherry Blossoms. All of these places are well known as popular cherry blossom viewing spots where you can enjoy magnificent cherry blossoms.

Miharu-taki-zakura(Beni-Shidare-Zakura)

The Miharu-Taki-zakura ,located in Tamura-gun, Fukushima Prefecture, is a brilliant giant tree with large branches hanging down like a waterfall and is over 1,000 years old. It is more than 13 meters high, and its branches growing in all directions are 25 meters long from east to west and 20 meters long from north to south, making it an overwhelmingly large and beautiful tree that attracts many people every year. The cherry blossoms are at their best time to view from mid to late April, and are also illuminated at night during the season. Next to the Mihara-taki-zakura is the Sakura Park, where you can also enjoy the 3,200 cherry blossoms. *Location: Sakurakubo, Oaza-Taki, Miharu-machi, Tamura-gun, Fukushima Prefecture

Yamataka Jindai-zakura (Edo-higan-zakura)

Yamataka-Jindai-zakura, located in the town of Mukawa in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, is a famous cherry blossom that was designated as the first national natural monument in the Taisho era (1912-1926) and was selected as one of the ” New 100 Best Trees in Japan” in 1990. The tree is said to be more than 2,000 years old, and is known as the oldest tree with the most longevity among the three major cherry blossoms. Because of its longevity, the tree has been the subject of numerous legends, such as “the cherry blossom planted by Yamato-Takeru-no-Mikoto. With a height of 10.3 meters and a trunk circumference of 11.8 meters at the root, the giant tree is a sight to be seen, and with the Southern Alps mountain in the background, it looks like a postcard when it is in full bloom, usually around the beginning of April. *Location: 2763 Yamataka,,Mukawa-cho, Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture

Neodani-usuzumi-zakura (Usuzumi-zakura)

Located in Honsu City, Gifu Prefecture, the “Neodani-Uzum-izakura” is a rare cherry blossom that changes its color from white to pink depending on the time of the year, and to a light-ink color when the blossoms are about to fall. The tree is estimated to be more than 1,500 years old, with a height of about 16 meters and branches extending more than 25 meters in all directions, boasting a height and branching that rivals the other three major cherry blossoms. The best time to view the cherry blossoms is around early April. And many of the Someiyoshino cherry blossoms in the nearby Usuzumi Park also come into bloom at the same season. * Location: 995 Aza Kamidan, NeoItasho, Honsu City, Gifu Prefecture.

“Sakura” is a special flower that strongly moves the hearts of Japanese people

Since ancient times, Japanese people have been fascinated by the beauty and loveliness of cherry blossoms, and have created many outstanding works of art. For example, “”Manyoshu”” (the oldest anthology of poems), and ”The Tale of Genji”describes a gorgeous banquet at the court.People have long considered cherry blossoms to be “”the dwelling place of gods and spirits that announce the coming of spring”” or “”an object for viewing life and death”” because of their short, fleeting lives.There are countless literary works on the theme of cherry blossoms, and many painters have drawn cherry blossoms. and songs about meeting and parting have been sung throughout the ages on the theme of cherry blossom season. The change from winter to spring means the beginning of farming and the end of winter. In Japan, many schools and companies start their new fiscal year in April, and the sakura is still a symbol of “”spring”” and a celebration of new beginnings.

Hanami, an ancient Japanese custom

”Hanami” or sakura viewing is an ancient Japanese custom to celebrate the coming of spring by viewing cherry blossoms. When the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, people not only look at the flowers by themselves, but also gather in large groups to have a party over Hanami lunch boxes and Hanami sake, which has been a traditional culture since ancient times. Many Japanese people enjoy having a party under the cherry blossom trees every spring as if they miss the blossoms that bloom all at once and fall away in no time. The sight of people spreading out their picnic blankets on the ground in parks or along riversides and enjoying the cherry blossoms is a Japanese spring tradition. Hanami has become one of the main reasons for foreign tourists to visit Japan, and has also been introduced to the world as a unique Japanese custom. [blogcard url=”https://arigatomedia.jp/cultures/introducing-cherry-blossom-viewing-which-is-very-popular-in-japan/346/”]

History of Hanami

For a long time, Hanami, a party viewing under the cherry blossom trees, was a custom limited to the upper class (nobility), but in the Kamakura and Nara periods, it spread to the warrior class as well. Originally, Hanami was to view plum blossoms, not cherry blossoms, but with the abolition of the Japanese envoys to China, the main role of Hanami shifted from plum blossoms, which originated in China, to cherry blossoms, which have bloomed in Japan since ancient times. In the Edo period (1603-1868), hanami rapidly spread among the common people. In particular, the 8th Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune, planted many cherry trees in the Sumida River (Mukojima), Ueno Park, Asukayama, Koganei-Tsutsumi, Gotenyama, and other places around Edo, saying that he wanted to create a place where the common people could enjoy cherry blossom viewing. At that time, the Sumida River flowing through Edo was easily flooded due to long rains, causing a great deal of damage to rural areas. Yoshimune came up with the idea of planting about 100 sakura trees along the river and inviting many cherry blossom viewers to make them tread down on the ground. In fact, it was said that the number of floods was surprisingly reduced as many people gathered to see the cherry blossoms and the stepped soil acted as a natural embankment. This seems to be one of the reasons why many cherry blossoms in Japan are located along rivers.
Introducing cherry blossom viewing, which is very popular in Japan