Cherry Blossom Season 2008

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Cherry Blossom Season 2008

Feb 18th, 2008 by Neil

Cherry Blossom Forecast Updated 18th of March.

It’s a little over 4 weeks away and cheers to Evan for reminding me that this years Cherry Blossom Forecast - Sakura Zensen (さくら　ぜんせん) has been published for all too see.

If all things go according to plan we should have Cherry Blossom’s in Tokyo the last week of March and first week of April.

Sakura or Cherry Blossom (Japanese kanji and Chinese character: 桜 or 櫻; katakana: サクラ; hiragana: さくら) is the Japanese name for ornamental cherry trees, Prunus serrulata, and their blossoms. Cherry fruit (known as sakuranbo) comes from a different species of tree. Sakura is also a given name.

Current Cherry Blossom Forecast as of the 18th of March

Cherry Blossom Forecast

Current Cherry Blossom Forecast as of the 4th of March

Cherry Blossom Forecast

Current Cherry Blossom Forecast as of the 26th of February

Cherry Blossom Forecast

Cherry Blossom Yoyogi Park

Current Cherry Blossom Forecast as of the 20th of February

Cherry Blossom Forecast

I recently posted a pic from last years Cherry Blossom Season but here’s a few more to get in the mood. The first is from last years Hanami party with Friends.

Hanami (花見, Hanami lit. “flower viewing”) is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, “flower” in this case almost always meaning cherry blossoms (桜 or 櫻, sakura^?), or ume blossoms (梅, ume^?). In modern-day Japan, hanami mostly consists of having an outdoor party beneath the sakura during daytime or at night. Hanami at night is called yozakura (lit. “night sakura”). In many places such as Ueno Park temporary paper lanterns are hung for the purpose of yozakura.

Sakura Hanami Party

Followed by a lazy Sunday with other Friends in Yoyogi Koen a great place for Cherry Blossom viewing.

Cherry Blossom Yoyogi Park

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Posted in Japan

19 Comments »

Trackback by www.japansoc.com

2008-02-18 20:43:06

Cherry Blossom Season 2008 | Neil Duckett…

If all things go according to plan we should have Cherry Blossom’s in Tokyo the last week of March and first week of April.

For more detailed information on this years Cherry Blossom Forecast you can go here or here, both are in Japanese though so y…

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Trackback by bloggingzoom.com

2008-02-18 20:46:30

Cherry Blossom Season 2008 | Neil Duckett…

If all things go according to plan we should have Cherry Blossom’s in Tokyo the last week of March and first week of April.

For more detailed information on this years Cherry Blossom Forecast you can go here or here, both are in Japanese though so y…

Reply to this comment

Comment by SciFiDrive

2008-02-19 02:12:36

you have to be there really to appreciate it.
those cherry blossoms are beautiful!
would be nice to have a macro shot …

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Comment by Neil

2008-02-19 07:37:03

Will see what i can do this season.

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Comment by Contamination

2008-02-19 02:43:01

All this reminds me to do is buy more Antihistamine medication. I strongly dislike Sakura and the sniffles they give me.

But looking at them is pretty cool. Great photos!

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Comment by Tom

2008-02-19 08:40:30

My favorite memories of sakura parties was watching drunk salarymen butchering enka songs with their portable karaoke machines….ahh those were the days…

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Comment by Edward

2008-02-19 12:24:58

Looking out the window here at all the snow, it’s hard to believe hanami season is almost here. Darn I wish I could make it…

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Comment by Kezia

2008-02-19 13:30:27

I’ve heard the words Sakura since long time ago…But just now I know that it is same with cherry.The situation of cherry blossom seems so pleasant, especially at night…

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Trackback by Anonymous

2008-02-19 16:37:36

Cherry Blossom Tattoo…

More and more I am seeing girls here in Japan with Cherry Blossom Tattoo’s. I guess the aversion to tattoos in Japan is starting to loose out to the younger generation, even to a point where I have heard arguments at Onsen’s(public hot bath…

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Comment by neko

2008-02-20 14:48:05

i have the magic ability to go to japan every time sakura’s aren’t blooming anymore…
Missed them also in 2006, well sort of, i only saw 1 damn sakura tree blooming in the middle of Akihabara
I’m glad we have cherry trees blooming here in switzerland too but the hanabi-part is missing.
enjoy hanabi!

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Comment by Shanker Bakshi

2008-02-21 04:27:21

Al most the same here in Chandigarh India, - Should i pick up my CAM too, but am not that perfact as Neil

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Comment by JC

2008-02-21 18:28:09

Wowowow! I’ve already booked my flight on the last week of March - planning to see the sakura on Shinjuku Gyoen. It’ll be my first time in Japan, hope that would be a good place to see the cherry blossoms bloom… Any advise where else to go/better places to go to view the Cherry Blossoms? (in Tokyo)?

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Pingback by Cherry Blossom Viewing 2008 | Neil Duckett

2008-02-22 10:48:47

[...] my last post on this years Cherry Blossom Forecast i’ve had a few comments and emails asking where there best spots to view Cherry Blossoms in [...]

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Pingback by Nekona - новости аниме, манги, игр, j-pop, j-rock и культуры Японии

2008-02-22 23:52:35

[...] До этого события осталось меньше месяца, и прогноз Цветения Сакуры (или Сакура Дзэнсэн [さくら　ぜんせん]) уже опубликован. Если все пойдет по плану, Цветение Сакуры в Токио придется на последнюю неделю марта. В крайнем случае - на первые числа апреля. Увидеть Сакура Дзэнсэн можно здесь и здесь (оба источника на японском), а лучше всего на это время приехать в Японию и созерцать в непосредственной близи. Сакурой или “вишней” (японский кандзи и китайская идеограмма изображают ее 桜 или 櫻, катакана - サクラ, а хирагана - さくら) в Японии именуют декоративные вишневые деревья, Prunus serrulata, а также их цветы. Плод называется “сакурамбо”, и дают его совсем другие деревья. Еще слово “Сакура” часто является именем. В Японии принято устраивать праздники любования цветами, или “ханами” - 花見, и цветы в данном случае означают цветы сакуры (桜 или 櫻) или умэ (梅, слива). Праздник обычно предполагает пикник на лоне природы, под цветущими деревьями, днем или ночью. Ночное ханами называют “ёдзакура” (буквально “ночная сакура”). Во многих парках, например, в парке Уэно, специально для ёдзакура вешают временные бумажные фонарики. По материалу блога Neil Duckett. [...]

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Pingback by JR Yamanote Line - Akihabara | Neil Duckett

2008-02-24 19:04:35

[...] imminent Cherry Blossom Season isn’t lost on the UFO catcher proprieters [...]

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Pingback by Cherry Blossom Tattoo | Neil Duckett

2008-02-28 16:53:22

[...] ************* WIN A Canon Digital Camera - All Competition Details Here ************* « Cherry Blossom Season 2008 Bento Box Face Food [...]

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Comment by Pam Hoffman

2008-02-29 08:56:11

I was born and raised in Northern Ohio and the February/March period was always so snowy and/or muddy.

I say ‘was’ since I now live in Southern California. While they are not as impressive here, the blossoming trees like this (cherry? something? i don’t know) are blooming and past their prime already.

It boggles my mind that I am surrounded by these blossoms and more. Of course, we just got thru our rainiest time of the year as well and now it is getting sunny and the plant-life is responding. It sure is nice for me too. I miss the crocuses (sp?) but I’ll take this for sure!

Pam Hoffman
http://seminarlist.blogspot.com

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Pingback by Hanami Bento and the Sakura Forecast « Japan Q&A

2008-03-20 18:08:59

[...] Blossom Season is almost upon us. According to Japan Probe, it could be as early as this weekend. Neil Duckett and Evan Pike of Japan Photo Guide have also put up Cherry Blossom Viewing Forecast [...]