Timing for Sakura Matsuri in Tokyo
Feb 23, 2006, 1:26 pm
#1
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Timing for Sakura Matsuri in Tokyo
The better half wants to go check out the cherry blossoms in Tokyo this year to complement the shopping 
Are there any site that I can check to see when it will be this year?
Is the festival in Ueno Park?
Are there any site that I can check to see when it will be this year?
Is the festival in Ueno Park?
Feb 23, 2006, 2:00 pm
#2
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Feb 23, 2006, 6:08 pm
#4
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The forecasting sites have not yet begun to post. That will probably start in early March. Best guess right now is first week of April.
For what it is worth, if you do time your trip for the best blosson times, Ueno Park will be MOBBED. For casual blossom viewing, there are many better choices. Search the group, we've all weighed in with our favorites.
JR
For what it is worth, if you do time your trip for the best blosson times, Ueno Park will be MOBBED. For casual blossom viewing, there are many better choices. Search the group, we've all weighed in with our favorites.
JR
Feb 23, 2006, 8:48 pm
#5
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There's no "sakura matsuri" - rather a multitude of people enjoying hanami parties with their colleagues and friends.
Ueno is the full on urban version of this - it gets crowded and a bit ugly, frankly. YMMV.
Just about any park with cherry trees in Tokyo will be crowded - because the cherry blossoms are so short-lived and as soon as they come out, the entire population of this megalopolis is desperate to secure their little square of turf under the falling blossoms....
But if you're here as a tourist, you don't need to limit yourself to Tokyo. And you don't need to worry so much about the timing. The Japanese archipelago is hundreds of kilometers in length from the South West to the North East - and the "cherry blossom front' makes progress along this path over the course of maybe 6 weeks.
So, for example, if you time your arrival to be in early-ish April - and then ask which place is in bloom, you can then transport yourself to that corner of Japan and enjoy the cherry blossoms there. It might be Tokyo - or it might be further North - maybe Nikko (beautiful place to see them) ... or Sendai... or Sapporo.
This plan requires you to have a little "faith". You won't know exactly where you're going until you get here.
Ueno is the full on urban version of this - it gets crowded and a bit ugly, frankly. YMMV.
Just about any park with cherry trees in Tokyo will be crowded - because the cherry blossoms are so short-lived and as soon as they come out, the entire population of this megalopolis is desperate to secure their little square of turf under the falling blossoms....
But if you're here as a tourist, you don't need to limit yourself to Tokyo. And you don't need to worry so much about the timing. The Japanese archipelago is hundreds of kilometers in length from the South West to the North East - and the "cherry blossom front' makes progress along this path over the course of maybe 6 weeks.
So, for example, if you time your arrival to be in early-ish April - and then ask which place is in bloom, you can then transport yourself to that corner of Japan and enjoy the cherry blossoms there. It might be Tokyo - or it might be further North - maybe Nikko (beautiful place to see them) ... or Sendai... or Sapporo.
This plan requires you to have a little "faith". You won't know exactly where you're going until you get here.
Feb 25, 2006, 6:21 am
#6
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The first week of April appears to be the present "best guess" for the Tokyo Metropolitan area:
http://www.jtb.co.jp/season/spring/sakura/?AreaCode=04
Last year's "schedule/map" can give you a pretty good comparative overall look as to approximately where and when the blossoms bloom:
http://www.jtb.co.jp/season/05spring/sakura/yoho/
I would also avoid Ueno Park during this time. There are many other "less stressful" choices.
http://www.jtb.co.jp/season/spring/sakura/?AreaCode=04
Last year's "schedule/map" can give you a pretty good comparative overall look as to approximately where and when the blossoms bloom:
http://www.jtb.co.jp/season/05spring/sakura/yoho/
I would also avoid Ueno Park during this time. There are many other "less stressful" choices.
Feb 27, 2006, 8:23 am
#9
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Weathernews has started their "kaika yosou" (estimates of when they'll bloom, not peak)--currently they are expecting first week of April for the Tokyo area, it appears.
http://weathernews.jp/sakura2006/
I'll be in Tokyo that week, so I'm hoping they're correct!
Although one doesn't really need cherry blossoms to have a hanami party....
http://weathernews.jp/sakura2006/
I'll be in Tokyo that week, so I'm hoping they're correct!
Although one doesn't really need cherry blossoms to have a hanami party....
Feb 27, 2006, 4:11 pm
#11
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Originally Posted by abmj-jr
I'll be in Okayama and Nagoya during the last week of March - departing March 30, so it looks like I'll probably just miss this year. 
JR
JR
Feb 27, 2006, 8:03 pm
#12
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Originally Posted by Q Shoe Guy
Don't give up hope especially if the weather warms up in the coming week or so.
JR
Feb 28, 2006, 12:41 am
#14
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Originally Posted by abmj-jr
Oh, I'm not giving up, just trying to be realistic.
Feb 28, 2006, 9:27 am
#15
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Originally Posted by jib71
I think you have a realistic chance - whatever time you go will be a gamble. Also, even if you don't catch the sakura, you will probably find other trees in blossom. Plum blossom is gorgeous and somewhat earlier than sakura.
JR