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Cherry Blossom 2019

Cherry Blossom 2019

Old Dec 24, 2018, 9:48 pm
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Cherry Blossom 2019

Anyone have a forecast for the 2019 Cherry Blossom season? I have hotels reserved and everything already but as of now, I will be arriving in Kyoto on March 31 and leaving April 5. If it doesn't hit the schedule, I'll cancel it all.

Thanks.
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Old Dec 24, 2018, 11:27 pm
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The Japan Meteorological Corporation has not started posting forecasts yet. They usually start after January 1.

That said, as a result of global warming, the blossoms have been very early the last few years. Last year, blossoms started in Tokyo in mid-March with full blossom in late March. They were mostly gone, except for late blooming varieties, by early April. Kyoto is often a few days later than Tokyo but not a lot.

Your dates will probably be at the very end of the blossom period and may miss by a few days. The dates are very weather specific and nobody knows how they will be affected in the coming year. I'd start checking the forecasts in January.
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Old Dec 25, 2018, 1:12 am
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abmj, I've seen you post about this before and you seem pretty knowledgeable about it. Do you think there is any chance of the cherry blossom in Kyoto occurring past April 2? I know you're not Nostradamus. I'd like to book the Hyatt Kyoto for March 25-March 29. Problem is I don't have enough points because they are tied up in a Hyatt Kyoto reservation through April 6. I would need to change the dates on that before I can book Mar 25-29.
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Old Dec 25, 2018, 1:57 am
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Originally Posted by kapooncha
abmj, I've seen you post about this before and you seem pretty knowledgeable about it. Do you think there is any chance of the cherry blossom in Kyoto occurring past April 2? I know you're not Nostradamus. I'd like to book the Hyatt Kyoto for March 25-March 29. Problem is I don't have enough points because they are tied up in a Hyatt Kyoto reservation through April 6. I would need to change the dates on that before I can book Mar 25-29.
I am definitely not able to see into the future and am just making guesses based on what has gone before. In 2017, the main sites were in bloom around April 4 with full show about 4 days later but in 2018, it was March 30-April 4. If I had to bet, I think I'd keep the reservations you have. Even if it turns out to be a very early year, you could still take a short train ride into the hills and see lots of blossoms. The major sites, like Maruyama Park, Kiyomizu-dera and Nijo Castle are always in bloom for a couple of weeks so if opening is in the last week of March, your dates should still be good.

Reservations for good hotels in Kyoto during sakura season become very difficult to get quite early. If you already have March 30-April 4 locked in, you are unlikely to find anything better at this late date. I'd keep them.

Others may have different ideas.
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Old Dec 25, 2018, 2:32 am
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Update: There was another hotel that I really like (stayed in 2016) and was shocked to see they had 1 room left late March at a great price. So took it, also booked a couple extra nights at Hyatt Kyoto. So I'm set from Mar 26 - Apr 6. If peak cherry blossom falls outside that range, then I guess I wasn't meant to see it. lol
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Old Dec 26, 2018, 4:49 am
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Mar26 - Apr 6 seems as good a bet as any.
If you need to - and you’ll know by then if you do need to - adjust your sleep patterns as much as possible before you arrive so that you can hit the ground running and take in the Sakura sights immediately.

I arrived in Tokyo late on the 29th March this year. Went to Chidorigafuchi on the 30th, which was wonderful, and that was pretty much it for the season. Fine examples of individual and small clusters of trees were still around to be enjoyed, but nothing of a grand scale was left.
Similar for us in 2015. Arrived late on the 2nd April and headed straight out to Meguro. The Sakura had pretty much disappeared by the next day.

On the other hand, there are years like 2016 where the Sakura continues for a week or so longer than expected. The season seemed endless. Beautiful, but the downside is that for a prolonged Sakura season to occur it means the weather is uncommonly cold. Dipped to freezing that year, there was even some snow.

We try to go every year but our dates are fixed to what my daughter’s school give her free for Easter. We then see what we can see and work around it. Will arrive very late on the 8th April. Am looking forward to the tulips at Showa Kinen Koen and, hopefully, wisteria just before we return to the U.K.
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Last edited by LapLap; Dec 26, 2018 at 4:54 am
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Old Dec 29, 2018, 11:44 am
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As always, the key to seeing cherry blossoms during a fixed duration visit is to build some flexibility into your schedule so that you can take a day trip to a colder/warmer location to chase the weather.
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Old Dec 29, 2018, 5:34 pm
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Originally Posted by angra
As always, the key to seeing cherry blossoms during a fixed duration visit is to build some flexibility into your schedule so that you can take a day trip to a colder/warmer location to chase the weather.
That's true though I'd really like to catch it in Kyoto and/or Nara.
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Old Dec 29, 2018, 11:15 pm
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I have kyoto booked for 20-25march or 6-10th april. Hopefully more concrete predictions in Jan
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Old Dec 29, 2018, 11:26 pm
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Originally Posted by kkl
I have kyoto booked for 20-25march or 6-10th april. Hopefully more concrete predictions in Jan
Why those dates and not between 25 march - 6 april? Seems like the portion you don't have booked is more likely to be the winner.

20-23 march seems awfully early for the sakura.
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Old Dec 30, 2018, 3:26 am
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Yep. For Kyoto, way too early. At least for this decade.
(Chart is from The Economist)
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Old Dec 30, 2018, 3:36 am
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If it has to be one of those two periods, I'd absolutely choose the second. Even if the blossoms are past peak, they usually last a couple of weeks and you are likely to see some decent displays before mid-April. If the blossom period is very early, you can always plan a day trip over to Kanazawa or up into the hills for later blooming periods..
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Old Jan 4, 2019, 5:19 am
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Originally Posted by kapooncha
Why those dates and not between 25 march - 6 april? Seems like the portion you don't have booked is more likely to be the winner.

20-23 march seems awfully early for the sakura.
were the only dates availabe @ RC kyoto when booked
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Old Jan 4, 2019, 7:42 am
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Originally Posted by kapooncha
That's true though I'd really like to catch it in Kyoto and/or Nara.
Visit to Kyoto last month (not on vacation) and a taxi driver told me that cherry blossom season has became very popular by non-Japanese visitors that during cherry blossom, all cherry tree places at Kyoto and Nara get packed with tourists. Traffic to cherry tree places is jammed during cherry tree season, buses and taxis get stuck in a traffic that it is literally faster to walk.

Just reminder that if you want to view cherry tree blossom at typical tourists places at Kyoto and Nara, the situation can be like that. Reminder, you are not the only one planning such trip.
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Old Jan 4, 2019, 3:51 pm
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Originally Posted by AlwaysAisle
Visit to Kyoto last month (not on vacation) and a taxi driver told me that cherry blossom season has became very popular by non-Japanese visitors that during cherry blossom, all cherry tree places at Kyoto and Nara get packed with tourists. Traffic to cherry tree places is jammed during cherry tree season, buses and taxis get stuck in a traffic that it is literally faster to walk.

Just reminder that if you want to view cherry tree blossom at typical tourists places at Kyoto and Nara, the situation can be like that. Reminder, you are not the only one planning such trip.
That's true which is why I plan to wake up very early so that I at least get a couple hours of peace and tranquility.
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