We’re getting closer to the start of sakura season, in more ways than one.

They say that a watched pot never boils, and often it really is good advice to not stare too closely at the inching pace of progress for things you’re anxiously looking forward to. But you know what? You can toss that logic out the window when it comes to cherry blossoms.

Yes, everyone in Japan, and quite a lot of international travelers, are anxious to know when the sakura will start showing up this year, so they can geta a head start on planning parties, picnics, and other excursions to see the country’s most famous flowers. While the start of sakura season is still roughly two months away, the temperamental nature of the blossoms means that it’s a good idea to keep up with the refined projections of when the petals will begin to open. Japanese weather forecasting service Weather News has just released updated cherry blossom dates and maps for everywhere from Kyushu to Hokkaido, so let’s take a look.

Akita (秋田): April 13
Aomori (青森): April 18
Kagoshima (鹿児島): March 27 (1 day earlier than previous prediction)
Kanazawa (金沢): April 1 (1 day earlier than previous prediction)
Kushiro (釧路): May 7 (1 day earlier than previous prediction)
Nagano (長野): April 7 (1 day earlier than previous prediction)
Nagoya (名古屋): March 24
Niigata (新潟): April 6 (1 day earlier than previous prediction)
Osaka (大阪): March 26
Sapporo (札幌): April 24
Sendai (仙台): April 4
Tokyo (東京): March 21

With those dates getting closer, the forecast can also zoom in tighter with predicated start-of-blooming dates at some of Japan’s most popular cherry blossom-viewing venues.

Ueno Park (上野恩賜公園) (Tokyo): March 22
Maizuru Park (舞鶴公園) (Fukuoka City): March 22
Kumamoto Castle (熊本城) (Kumamoto City): March 21
Tsurumai Park (鶴舞公園)(Nagoya, Aichi): March 24
Kochi Park (高知公園) (Kochi City): March 22
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park (平和記念来うん) (Hiroshima City): March 24
Arashiyama (嵐山)(Kyoto City): March 28
Sunpu Castle Park (駿府城公園) (Shizuoka City): March 25
Takato Castle Park (高遠城址公園)(Ina, Nagano): April 3
Shiroishikawa Riverbank (白石川堤一目千本桜)(Ogawara, Miyagi): April 3
Hirosaki Park (弘前公園) (Hirosaki, Aomori): April 18
Goryokaku Park (五稜郭公園) (Hakodate, Hokkaido): April 22

Next, let’s track the predicted progress of the sakura starting in the southwest of Japan, and moving up towards the colder, later-blooming regions of the northeast.

▼ Kyushu forecast: Fukuoka (福岡), Saga, (佐賀), Oita (大分), Nagasaki (長崎), Miyazaki (宮崎), Kumamoto (熊本), and Kagoshima (鹿児島)

▼ Chugoku/Shikoku forecast: Shimonoseki (下関), Hiroshima (広島), Matsue (松江), Tottori (鳥取), Matsuyama (松山), Kochi (高知), Takamatsu (高松), Tokushima (徳島), and Okayama (岡山)

▼ Kansai/Kinki forecast: Kobe (神戸), Wakayama (和歌山), Osaka (大阪), Nara (奈良), Kyoto (京都), and Hikone (彦根)

▼ Tokai forecast: Tsu (津), Gifu (岐阜), Nagoya (名古屋), and Shizuoka (静岡)

▼ Hokuriku forecast: Fukui (福井), Kanazawa (金沢), Toyama (富山), and Niigata (新潟)

▼ Kanto/Koshin forecast: Nagano (長野), Kofu (甲府), Maebashi (前橋), Yokohama (横浜), Tokyo (東京), Choshi (銚子), Kumagaya (熊谷), Mito (水戸), and Utsunomiya (宇都宮)

▼ Tohoku forecast: Aomori (青森), Akita (秋田), Morioka (盛岡), Yamagata (山形), Sendai (仙台), and Fukushima (福島)

▼ Hokkaido: Sapporo (札幌), Wakkanai (稚内), Asahikawa (旭川), Abashiri (網走), Kushiro (釧路), Obihiro (帯広), Muroran (室蘭), and Hakodate (函館)

Compared to the initial forecast, the update has the sakura arriving slightly sooner in many parts of Japan, though still holding steady with the first predictions for the Kansai, Tokai, and Tohoku regions. Don’t forget that these are the predicted dates for the sakura to start blossoming, and they don’t reach full bloom until usually somewhere between a half and a full week later. Further updates are expected between now and the start of spring, and if you jus can’t wait that long to see beautiful pink flowers, remember that Japan has another variety that blooms in February.

Source: Weather News
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Weather News
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