2015 Cherry Blossom Forecast Published
 

Too early for complete accuracy, but here is the current estimate:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html

Thanks, russ_in_LA....and this is the link for the map that j-g seems to be using. It's in Japanese but it's pretty easy to figure out esp. if you have some type of browser translation tool. I use rikaichan with Mozilla Firefox....
http://sakura.weathermap.jp/

I'm waiting for the Tohoku area to be updated....

Thanks, hoping this is slightly inaccurate. According to this we're missing the beginning of the best viewing period by one day.

Crosscheck, is that a tongue-in-cheek question?

In case not: the forecasts are best guesses but no one can 100% predict day by day weather, temperature, wind and so on, all of which could lead the cherry trees to bloom earlier or later. They're usually in flower for a few weeks, the "best week" is simply the time when most trees in that area are most likely to be at their best. A friend of mine has been a few times in cherry blossom, I keep changing my mind on whether to try and catch them or not. But I remember on one trip she said the blossoms were earlier than the predictions had expected, as there were a few unexpectedly warm days.

Mara,
Where you going in Tohoku? One of the best areas to hanami imho. Hirosaki and Kakunodate are the targets....but you know that already :)

Aloha!

ht - from April 24th to May 1st...maybe a bit late or even early..lol......but that's how my schedule worked out. Am planning to visit Kakunodate and Hirosaki as well as several other places - Sendai, Aizu Wakamatsu, Matsushima, Hiraizumi, Tazawako and Aomori. And you?

Yes, tongue in cheek. The first time I was in Japan I was treated to peak season everywhere, unlikely that we'll be that lucky this time. (I grew up in NYC and my parents were obsessed with taking us to the cherry blossoms at the exact right moment - mainly to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, but I think one time we went to DC just for the day.)

fyi, the japan-guide.com and sakura.weathermap.jp sites have both been updated....

lol...crosscheck - I live in Brooklyn - went to the BBG once for the sakura festival there - a bigger crowd than I have ever seen in Japan....

Hey Mara, thanks for the heads up about the update. I'm trying not to get too excited, but now it says that peak viewing in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka is April 2 - 10 (we will be there April 1 - 9) and Kanazawa April 8 - 16 (we will be there April 9-12). Hope it's right...I can barely contain myself!

For anyone in Los Angeles in February, the Huntington Library and Gardens in San Marino have a lovely Japanese garden, which we have seen at peak bloom. It's a tad warmer here than central Japan, so we get an early show. Below are links for the garden and some vistor pics as well. Enjoy!

http://www.huntington.org/JapaneseGarden/

https://www.flickr.com/groups/huntin...7626643323422/

russ_in_LA - you're welcome. I keep checking as I am more intersted in the Tohoku region as I said above. I'll be in Kyoto on those dates as well. Good timing, I think!
Enjoy!

Crosscheck, phew! I thought it must be but then decided it would be very rude if I assumed so and it wasn't, so I figured I'd answer both ways just in case! :-D

The Japanese sakura site I referenced in the first reply post above is due to be updated on 2/26....

As Mara predicted , the original link I posted above has also been updated. Not sure how accurate this will be this far out, but it looks like the peak date ranges have moved a day earlier in most cases. Does anyone know how the actual matched up to past predictions?

Also, does anyone know where Himeji falls in the date range? I suspect it's between the Hiroshima and Osaka dates, so we might be at the tail end of the blooms as we pass through on April 9.

FYI, The cherry blossom forecast has been updated again today on the Japan-Guide link listed above.

Cherry blossom forecast on Japan-guide updated and moved a day earlier.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html

Great for us. Arriving in Tokyo on the 28th, a few days before all of you. Will report back.

Total coincidence, but I'll be in Nagoya April 4-5, then Tokyo 5-8, then Gifu 8-9.

Wish this site hosted photos. I have great pics of cherry blossoms at Himeji Castle 10-Apr-2006.

Good news for you crosscheck! Tokyo's first bloom opened today, about 3 days earlier than projected! Best viewing predicted from Mar 29 - Apr 6, although I think it should still be OK for my April 2 and 3rd dates. Hope there are still some blooms hanging on for your arrival deptrai.

Just returned from Ueno Park, where the blooms were at their peak and most of the Tokyo's residents seemed to be picnicking and celebrating. Returning tomorrow night to see them illuminated by lanterns. Got our sakura fix in spades - so cool. Good luck to those arriving next week!

So glad you got to see them at their best. Hope they can hold on for another 5 days!

Early Tokyo morning greetings to russ_in_LA and others -- and many thanks for your fine posts and links. The past few days in beloved Tokyo have certainly had their moments of lovely sakura; best of current and future viewing to you and all.

Writing to also give a brief update on a most interesting property I (we) had the privilege of experiencing this past weekend: the Hotel Okura Tokyo. Some long-time Kyoto-based family friends had been recommending the Okura for quite some time, so reservations were booked several months back for a potential weekend rendezvous. Turned out to be a lovely Okura time with our friends.

The Kyoto friends are actively involved with some ongoing affairs concerning the Okura. More background information on some planned Okura changes to be found via: savetheokura dot com/ Perhaps some of you fine Fodorites will have the opportunity to experience the Okura over the next few months; if nothing else, venture over and take in her public venues. I was obliged to checkout of the Okura yesterday afternoon for a work-related week at another fine Japanese hotel. Hope to get back to the Okura before September. Unique locale with such a gracious staff.

Savour your sakura viewing these next few days, russ and all. All the best from Japan,

robert

Robert - Our group was at the Okura as well. Just checked out this morning. We heard it's being updated, but we all loved the cool Asian take on post modern and appreciated the location. Too bad we didn't meet up.

I was topping this thread to say that the best night cherry blossom viewing was in fact in ARK Hills, a magical nightlit tree-lined street a block away from the Okura on the way to Suntory Hall. No need to go to bustling Ueno, which is a fun cultural experience, but crazy crowded.

Oh dear, I have forgotten to push the Submit button...

Here are just some links.

Japan:
http://weathernews.jp/sakura/

Hirosaki:
http://weathernews.jp/sakura/pinpoin...dar/?spotid=17

Got back Tuesday night from our 2 week trip. Awesome cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo, Hikone and Kyoto (although very wet in Kyoto). A few days past peak at Himeji, Okayama and Miyajima, although still very nice. Fantastic blooms in Kanazawa and Matsumoto (although torrential rain in Matsumoto). Will try to start a trip report soon. Hope everyone who is there now or going soon has a great trip!

Welcome home, russ. Can't wait to hear about your trip. Sounds as if we were lucky to see the blossoms and miss the rain in Tokyo and Hakone, although you covered a lot more ground in Japan. When we left Gora Kadan (our ryokan in the mountains), our driver took us past a viewing spot at the castle in Odawara on the way to the train station - absolutely spectacular.

Yay Russ, welcome back!

I was in Japan Apr 4-9 and saw the sakura everywhere I went...Osaka, Nagoya, Gifu, Tokyo, Utsunomiya and Tomioka. Now that I live in the Pacific Northwest, where we have plenty of cherry trees, I don't appreciate them as much in Japan. I can't even see outside my 2nd floor office window because there are 3 of them planted just below. I used to go out of my way to travel to Japan during this time period, but will now try and avoid it. Trains(including ticket offices) and hotels were full of tourists. It took me over 2 hours to get through immigration at Kansai when it usually takes me less than 5 minutes. I was behind 3 tour groups...2 Chinese and 1 Korean. I'm sure that after moving back out of here, I'll long to see them again.