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2008 Cherry Blossom forecast
The first official 2008 forecast is out and here it is
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/seasonal/sakura2008/ Hoping our timing will be correct this year Aloha! |
Here is the updated forecast from The JMA
Looks like the blossoms will be a little later this year. If this holds up we will hit it on time. Fingers are now double crossed http://tinyurl.com/yv2p9j Aloha! |
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Excellent! It looks like we will be in the right place AND at the right time for once!
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updated 3/19/2008
this is getting nerve wracking but they are supposed to start blooming in Tokyo this weekend.....hope all planned correctly http://tinyurl.com/yv2p9j Aloha! |
The Japan Meteorological Agency has a nice map that is current:
http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/en/News/sakura3.html japan-guide has a nice list that includes best viewing dates, but right now it is a week old: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html |
Is there a similar Cherry Blossom report for China? I understand that it's a bigger deal in Japan but I think we might be in China about the right time.
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not that I know of. I was China last year for a little more than two weeks before we arrived in Tokyo on April 1, 2007. We arrived in Tokyo to the peak cherry blossom bloom and remember only seeing a few cherry blossoms in Xian 1 week before. I don't remember too many flowers in China at all.....lots of pollution but not many flowers. The Summer Palace in Beijing had some flowers blooming. Chengdu had foliage but no cherry blossoms....
Aloha! |
should be the last update....now they start to bloom....I hope we are lucky
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html Aloha! |
Hope you'll make it on time. My only concern is that temps dropped again over the past 3 days. I had already put away my winter clothes early this week only to get back to the attic Wed to retrieve my sweaters.
I'm chaperoning Anika's 10th Grade Class on an overnighter in Izu peninsula over the weekend so I'll report what I see there when I get home. Our TKY Ohanami with my friends is scheduled 5/05 in Ayase Park. I think I better head out to Ueno this week since it's the kids' Spring Break. Thanks for the info |
when are you going ht? hope you have a great trip. will you keep us posted during your trip?
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Yes, ditto! I am still traveling vicariously while my fractured foot continues to heal....:)
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Thanks Bill, we will be arriving 4/6 in Tokyo.....hope its not all over by then. Maybe we can have a nice bus ride in from Narita again? Three days later we head off for Kagoshima and environs southern so maybe we'll see some there. Hope to end up with a hanami on the banks of the river in Kakunodate up north.....fingers are double crossed.
I will be taking my laptop and will try and post a few updates on the road but will probably just submit a tr when I return of my notes. Mara, OMG I read about your foot on another thread, how terrible. I hope you are feeling better and planning a return to Japan soon! Thanks bmt hope your Ayase park hanami is fantastic! Aloha! |
Thanks, ht! I am hoping to go in the fall to sort of recreate the trip I planned last fall without the actual fall that prematurely ended my trip ;)
Do enjoy! |
In China it is possible to see blossom fields outside of Shanghai (I'm not sure if they are cherry or plum). From Shanghai Stadium sightseeing bus company they run these tours at times when the blossom is out. This is from Fodors:-
The Shanghai Sightseeing Bus Center has more than 50 routes, including 10 tour routes that make a circuit of Shanghai's main tourist attractions. There are also one-stop itineraries and weekend overnight trips to sights in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces. One-day trips range from Y30 to Y200; overnight trips cost as much as Y400. You can buy tickets up to a week in advance. The main ticket office and station, beneath Staircase No. 5 at Shanghai Stadium, has plenty of English signage to help you through the ticketing process. No. 5 Staircase, Gate 12, Shanghai Stadium, 666 Tianyaoqiao Lu, Xuhui. 021/6426-5555 We have used the buses from here to go out to the water villages etc. We were there two early for the blossoms, the tours from here though are good. See http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/arti...cle_349734.htm on the Suzhou plum blossom. |
Was in the Air Base today for Anika's Tract Meet- GORGEOUS DAY !!! Most probably a wonderful prep day for your blossoms to welcome you when you get here
4/6. I'll try to take photos from Izu tomorrow. Still paralyzed with my photo postings. Can't seem to make my iWeb work for me. I'll keep on trying.......... |
........meant track,,,,,,,
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HT,
The ride to Izu on Sunday PM was really nice- much to see on the high way. For a while I could forget I was in Japan. It reminded me so much of Hawaii & some subdued Las Vegas with the properties by the beach & the loudness of the hotel colors & architecture (LV). Sakura are still asleep. Buds are real tight. I am told the "tunnel of sakura trees" by the National Park where we stayed at will come out in a week or two. Monday was a dready rainy day- wanted to go up to the Oomuroyama via cable car but we were totally fogged over. The drive was really interesting. Reminded me of home- HWY 1 in SFO !!! |
Thanks for the live report bmt! I am hoping they don't start to really explode for at least another week but I can see by the live webcams of the jnto site that trees around the National Theatre(central Tokyo) are just starting to bloom while the ones at The Imperial Palace are still in tight buds(but starting to show color).
I hope we get there in time, 4/6 seems too far off now..... Aloha! |
HAve a wonderful trip, hawaii. Did any of you see Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations episode on Osaka on the Travel Channel last night? The okonomiyaki made me hungry.
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emd,
Thanks for the good wishes! No I didn't see AB on Osaka but we are really getting excited as flight time is getting close. Will be in Hiroshima for the first time this trip and will definitely look for the okonomiyaki. Hope mother nature is kind to us and lets us see some cherry blossoms this time around. When are you going back to Japan? The Inland Sea is calling you......, lol Aloha! |
Hawaii, there is a great and convneniet little place for okonomiyaki at the Hiroshima train station that I highly recommend to you. When you get ready to leave Hiroshima, you enter the train station and turn right, go immediately down the stairs and just as you would enter the rather large grocery store on the lower level, right next to the grocery store is a man's okonomiyaki stand. He and his wife run it, maybe 12 seats around his grill and a few small tables. I have had okonomiyaki there on both trips to Japan, and both of my kids still talk about how good it was. As we watched the AB episode last night my son said, "We need to go back to that little stand in the Hiroshima train station, that was SO good." And it is cheap. And the guy is really nice, he waited both times I ate there til I took a bite and then gave me a thumbs up to be sure I liked it. I really enjoyed eating there and then going in to the big grocery store to shop a bit as we waited for our trains back to Kyoto.
Try it, it's easy to find next to the grocery store. I think you'll like it, and you won't have to run around Hiroshima trying to find a place. |
oh- no trips to Japan currently planned. Son starts college in 2009, and daughter is right behind him.
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emd,
Thanks for the tip. We are staying right there at the Granvia in Hiroshima station so I will definitely try your oko stand and have one for you :) Which ones did you try? Did you make up your own ingredients? |
You tell him what you want- I just pointed. I think mine had an egg and bacon on top. It looks so weord but tastes so good. His sauce is good- some of the sauces are too heavy for me. Have one for me! And some sake too, you can buy it in that grocery store. That store will be convenient for items you might want for your room, etc. They have a pretty good selection of items and have a prepared food case like the dept. stores have.
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HAwaii, are you all going to Miyako Odori?? Just realized that is April 1-30 in Kyoto.
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Take a look at http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/kp/kyo_np/...08benishidare/
it gives info on the Heian temple music concerts. We went to one 2 yrs ago - we're not big music buffs, but the music is played from a stage over the small lake and you walk around the lit up cherry blossoms - its quite magical. People of all ages go and many dress up in beautiful kimono (we only had our "trip clothes" but that was enough too). Kyoto Heianjingu Shidare Zakura Concert: April 10 to 13 from 6:00 to 9:30pm Night Music concert at Heianjingu with cherry blossoms. Price: JPY2,000 / No seats. Walking around and enjoy music and cherry blossoms. 1st stage 6:40-7:20pm / 2nd stage 7:50-8:30pm -April 10: Dragon Pipe(whistle, Japanese Old Instrument) by Hideki Togi -April 11: Mongolia Music by Irana -April 12: Classic Music by 6 violinists -April 13: Guitar and Piano Pops and Jazz by nobuyuki Nakjima and Goro Ito |
emd,
The closest we get to Kyoto is Kobe on this trip. I was thinking of doing a day trip to Kyoto for the Miyako Odori as I do remember your trip report when you and your daughter met bill for the evening. It is on our "to do " list. We might try to squeeze in some Philosophers Path if the cherry blossoms are still there. Getting really excited now....only 10 more days till blastoff! Aloha! |
A friend living in Tokyo (just outside Yamanote loop line) wrote an e-mail to me today. She says some cherry trees are in full bloom while others are still at 50 - 70 %, in the park near her house.
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Domo kappasan.....love all the updates I can get.
Aloha! |
Another friend of mine also from Tokyo has just written : Early blooming this year than usual. Can be at 30 % by this weekend. That means in Tokyo, Sakura can be at full blossom in a week / 10 days....
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I missed the AB in Osaka, I will look for repeats. Okonomiyaki is my favorite Japanese food! We went to a very "hip" place in the Harajuku area two years ago while in Tokyo. It even impressed my 19 year old son! We ate on the patio and it was very pleasant.
http://www.sakuratei.co.jp/en/tenpo/index.html I am on my way back for a few days in mid April so I think I will miss the Cherry Blossoms, but we will go on to Korea and I think they may be in bloom there as it sounds like the bloom is later in the year. |
HT,
Hit the Tsukuji a bit too late to see most of the action this AM but still had a delicious brekkie of taraba uni don for Y2700 in Naka Ya. A lot of Sakura are already blooming more than 50% at the parks along the Seibu Ikebukuro line when our train went by them. We were planning on a Ueno Park trip tomorrow but rains are forecasted. Those Ueno Park Sakura sure look pretty !!! Thanks Kappa. |
Thanks all for the updates.....I want to be there right now :(
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http://dailynews.yahoo.co.jp/photograph/pickup/
Another Ueno Park shot, a few hours ago after dark, lots of partiers. |
HT,
It's a beautiful day !!! We're off to Ueno as soon as we pack the car. Talk to you later. |
I'm jealous bmt.....have a beautiful hanami in Ueno!
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This morning Weatherchannel on tv showed the sakura blooming in Tokyo....
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Shiba Kôen(park) on 28 March, with Tokyo Tower.
http://www.asahi.com/photonews/TKY200803280427.html |
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