Tokyo’s hanami window
Tokyo’s cherry‑blossom season officially kicked off this week — the city’s sample tree at Yasukuni Shrine opened at least five flowers, and bloom timing is about five days earlier than last year. Full bloom is forecast in roughly one week thanks to warm weather, so now’s prime time for sakura‑themed food tours and park picnics. (japantimes.co.jp) (straitstimes.com) (www3.nhk.or.jp)
The Japan Meteorological Agency’s Tokyo office declared the season started on March 19, 2026 after staff visually confirmed 61 open blossoms on the benchmark Somei‑Yoshino tree at Yasukuni Shrine. (asahi.com) (asahi.com) That observation was recorded five days earlier than both the 2025 first‑bloom date and the long‑term average for Tokyo, the Tokyo District Meteorological Observatory said. (asahi.com) (asahi.com) Official forecasts from Japan’s meteorological forecasters now cluster Tokyo’s full‑bloom (mankai) window around March 27–28, assuming warm conditions persist through the coming week. (sakura.weathermap.jp) (sakura.weathermap.jp) Forecasters point to a pattern of warmer‑than‑average temperatures since mid‑February that weakened winter dormancy and accelerated bud development across central Japan. (sakura.weathermap.jp) (sakura.weathermap.jp) Broadcast footage and on‑site staff reported the sample tree jumped from only two open flowers the previous day to 61 at the time of the declaration, underscoring a rapid opening once temperatures rose. (youtube.com) (youtube.com) The Japan Meteorological Corporation’s public forecasts cover roughly 1,000 observation sites nationwide and were updated this month (the JMC issued an eighth forecast on March 12 with further updates scheduled). (n‑kishou.com) (n-kishou.com)
