If you wish to see cherry blossoms in all places you go in Japan, certainly one of two issues must be true. Both you must be extraordinarily fortunate (as I used to be on my very first journey to Japan, over a decade in the past); or you must be obsessive about the blooming forecast, and prepared to vary your plans because it adjustments (that is how I’m now).
Clearly, neither of those methods work very nicely in the event you aren’t visiting Japan between in regards to the final week of March and the primary week of Could. Properly, until you’re OK with seeing barely completely different sakura than most different vacationers.
To make sure, early cherry blossoms in Japan don’t are typically the basic somei yoshino species. However to me, that is well worth the trade-off of with the ability to take pleasure in hanami in winter as a substitute of spring!
What to Know About Kawazu-zakura, Japan’s Early Cherry Blossoms
Early sakura aren’t the cherry blossoms you’re used to seeing, at the very least not exactly. The “regular” cherry blossoms, you see, are the whitish-pink somei yoshino—these are usually not those that bloom between February and March. On Japan’s 4 major islands, those you’ll see presently of the 12 months are Kawazu-zakura, that are a bubble-gum pink colour, although they’re in any other case comparable (i.e. in form and dimension) to the everyday sakura.
Planning to see Okinawa’s cherry blossoms as a substitute? These are likely to bloom within the final days of January or the primary days of February. And so they’re even brighter in colour than the kawazu-zakura, and are additionally bigger in dimension. Though a number of species of cherry blossoms exist all through the Okinawa archipelago, the commonest ones are the kanhizakura. Normally, you possibly can assume these are those you see, whether or not in Naha Metropolis, or on islands like Ishigaki and Miyakojima.
The place to See Early Cherry Blossoms in Japan
Kawazu, Shizuoka
As its identify suggests, the town of Kawazu on the southeastern a part of the Izu Peninsula is floor zero for Kawazu-zakura. Should you come right here, I like to recommend mountain climbing as much as the Kawazu Fort Ruins to get a tremendous view of the bushes alongside the banks of the Kawazu River. I additionally suggest renting a automobile (ideally at Atami Station) so that you could see a number of locations on this a part of Japan.
Tokyo Skytree
If you wish to see early cherry blossoms however don’t plan to go away Tokyo, there’s nonetheless hope for you! Whereas Kawazu-zakura bushes are scattered all through the town, certainly one of my favourite locations to see them is alongside a small canal simply south of the Tokyo Skytree. Now, there are solely a few bushes right here, however in the event you get your angle excellent (you’ll most likely have to squat down), you possibly can {photograph} the tower as if it’s being engulfed by the flowers!
Higashi-izu, Shizuoka
Again on the Izu-hanto, I’ll be frank: Your entire east coast of the Peninsula is replete with Kawazu-zakura, albeit not as many as in Kawazu-cho itself. I particularly love having fun with views of those bushes with the Izu Islands past them, which nearly offers your entire scene a tropical really feel, despite it being winter when the flowers come into bloom.
Atami Metropolis
Should you can’t hire a automobile or don’t need to navigate native trains, then an “simple” place to see cherry blossoms in Japan in February is Atami Metropolis. Conveniently positioned alongside the Shinkansen line (although solely served by the slower Kodama and, often, Hikari trains), this is a perfect vacation spot for seeing early sakura exterior of Tokyo, however with minimal effort. I like strolling all the way down to Atami Solar Seaside, or driving the ropeway as much as Atami Fort.
BONUS: Okinawa
Planning to be in Okinawa throughout the previous few days of January or the primary few days of February? On this case, you possibly can nearly actually see the kanhizakura, which is the species of cherry blossoms explicit to the archipelago. As I discussed just a few paragraphs up, these flowers are even brighter than the kawazu-zakura, and still have a unique form and dimension. You’ll be able to see these on all of Okinawa’s main islands, they usually add nice colour to the generally gray days of Okinawa in winter.
Different Winter Flowers in Japan
Past the Kawazu-zakura and Okinawa’s varied cherry blossom species, there are different flowers you possibly can see throughout Japan’s winter season:
- The ume, or plum blossoms, which bloom in February and March.
- Tsubaki, or camelia, which bloom as early as December.
- Japanese daffodils bloom in January and February, with the miniature flowers blooming first.
Different FAQ About Early Cherry Blossoms in Japan
What’s the earliest cherry blossom bloom?
On Japan’s 4 major islands, the earliest cherry blossoms are the kawazu-zakura, which bloom as early as February, however generally keep in bloom till late March. These deep pink flowers may be discovered all through the Kanto area close to Tokyo, not solely on their native Izu Peninsula, but additionally in Tokyo’s metropolis middle. Okinawa’s kanhizakura, in the meantime, generally attain full bloom in late January.
What’s the identify of the early cherry blossom?
There are two major species of early cherry blossoms in Japan. Within the Okinawa archipelago, the fluorescent pink kanhizakura reaches full bloom within the last days of January or within the first few days of February. On Japan’s 4 major islands, the bubble-gum pink Kawazu-zakura have a tendency to succeed in full bloom in late February or early March.
What causes cherry blossoms to bloom early?
Regardless of which species you’re speaking about, the identical components could cause cherry blossoms to bloom early (or late). This consists of temperatures (each within the lead-up to the bloom in spring, in addition to the winter earlier than) and precipitation. Moreover, heavy wind could cause cherry blossoms to fall prematurely, even after they’re reached full bloom.
The Backside Line
Should you’re visiting Japan in winter and need to take pleasure in sakura, you may attempt concentrating on a few of the early cherry blossoms in Japan. From Okinawa to the Izu Peninsula, these species of cherry blossoms bloom between late January and mid-March, relying on the place you’re and the way the climate goes that 12 months. Even in the event you can’t time your go to excellent for early-blooming sakura, you may be capable of take pleasure in different winter flowers, akin to ume (plum blossoms) and tsubaki (camelia). Want customized assist ensuring your journey goes completely? Rent me to plan a customized Japan itinerary!