Latest news with #Somei-Yoshino
Hamilton Spectator
30-04-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Cherry blossoms are blooming in Toronto. Here's where to see them in High Park and beyond
Cherry blossoms are blooming in Toronto. 'Cherry Blossom Watch' in High Park reports High Park cherry blossoms are in Stage 4 of the bloom development process as of April 28. 'In a few days, we will be able to predict when peak bloom in High Park will occur,' the cherry blossom watch reads. Spring is finally here and ever since first being planted in Canada almost 70 years ago, the blooming of the cherry blossoms has attracted locals and tourists alike. Toru-Hagiwara, the Japanese ambassador to Canada, first presented 2,000 Japanese Somei-Yoshino trees in 1959 to the citizens of Toronto on behalf of the citizens of Tokyo, planted in appreciation of the city accepting relocated Japanese-Canadians following the Second World War, according to the City of Toronto . Thousands of Canadians and tourists gather annually at parks to partake in the centuries-old tradition of hanami, which is the Japanese term for flower viewing. A post shared by High Park Nature Centre 🌿 (@highparknaturecentre) Each year, the peak bloom dates of the cherry blossoms vary, with April 18 being the big day in 2024. Ahead of this year's bloom, the City of Toronto has released the different locations to witness the spectacle across the GTA. For a full list of locations across the GTA, visit . The City of Toronto has provided some advice for those heading out to any of the locations. Do not climb trees, pull off branches or pluck any blooms, which can damage the trees. Visitors are also advised to stay on existing trails to protect ecologically sensitive areas, as well as put litter in designated spots to keep the area beautiful. To track the development of the cherry blossoms in the famous High Park location, has a detailed and updated tracker so you can plan your visit. Typically, late April to early May is the peak bloom time, depending on the weather. Additionally, a Cherry Blossom Hotline offering information about bloom predictions can be reached at 647-946-2547 .
Hamilton Spectator
25-04-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Your guide to Ontario's best spots for cherry blossom viewing this spring as peak bloom approaches
Spring is here and cherry blossoms in Ontario are approaching peak bloom. Popular places to view cherry blossoms include locations in Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga, Etobicoke, Scarborough, Ottawa, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls. On April 24, the cherry blossoms in High Park were in Stage 3 of the bloom development process. 'We will be able to make a prediction about when peak bloom will occur in the coming days,' according to High Park bloom watch . Toru-Hagiwara, the Japanese ambassador to Canada, first presented 2,000 Japanese Somei-Yoshino trees in 1959 to the citizens of Toronto on behalf of the citizens of Tokyo, planted in appreciation of the city accepting relocated Japanese-Canadians following the Second World War, according to the City of Toronto . Since then, thousands of Canadians and tourists gather annually at parks to partake in the centuries-old tradition of hanami, which is the Japanese term for flower viewing. Destinations Ontario explains the fragrant, pale red, pink and soft white flowers typically bloom for a short time in late April and early May on ornamental cherry trees, as well as other trees including crab apple, magnolia and plum. Jon Peter, director of horticulture at Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), located in Burlington and Hamilton, said predicting the exact time of peak bloom can be difficult and relies on an accumulation of days with above-freezing temperatures. Peter said with the predicted forecast there could be enough of those days to initiate peak blooming at RBG by approximately the last week of April. There are a diverse variety of cherries at RBG that will bloom over a range of dates. Some will flower and fade away as another is just opening. Depending on the weather, Peter said some of the earlier types will flower mid-to-late April. RBG is expected to have blooms continuing into mid May. The Kwanzan flowering cherry trees in Gage Park in Hamilton are in bloom and are attracting more than human admirers. It's predicted peak bloom will be later than the previous years at RBG. Peter said some of the earliest flowers of the year were flowering in mid February in 2024. 'This year, they started flowering mid-to-late March, so more than a month behind last year,' he said. In 2024, flowers reached their peak bloom at RBG on April 18. Visitors to Bayfront Park in Hamilton enjoy the cherry trees in blossom. Many environmental factors go into flowering, including day length, days above freezing, soil temperatures, light exposure, soil moisture, nutrition, and wind. These factors effect how long the flowers stay around. There are a bunch of places to see cherry blossoms in Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Toronto, Brampton, Mississauga, Etobicoke, Scarborough, Ottawa, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls. Here are some top spots to see cherry blossom in Scarborough, Toronto, Etobicoke, Brampton and Mississauga: Location: 1297 Ellesmere Rd. Location: 256 Centennial Park Rd. Location: 755 Lawrence Ave. E. Location: 100 Princes' Blvd. Location: 1873 Bloor St. W. Location: 6 Sakura Way Location: Main St. S. Location: 3620 Kariya Dr. Location: 790 Queen St. W. In 1959, Toronto was presented with 2,000 Somei-Yoshino trees, in a project led by first-generation Japanese Canadians and the Japanese consulate. These ones are in Toronto's High Park. Ottawa has some great cherry blossom spots, too. Location: Elgin Street Location: Prince of Wales Drive Location: Mackenzie Avenue The Niagara region showcases a unique blend of cherry blossoms and scenic vineyards. Location: 15927 Niagara River Pkwy. Location: 2565 Niagara River Pkwy. Location: 14184 Niagara Pkwy. Cherry blossom blooms on the Laura Secord Trail. Check out cherry blossom at the Royal Botanical Gardens and more places in Hamilton and Halton. Location: 200 Harbour Front Dr. Location: 1000 Main St. E. Location: 1308 Lakeshore Rd. E. Location: 680 Plains Rd. W., Burlington and 16 Old Guelph Rd., Hamilton Location: 1400 Lakeshore Rd. Location: Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way Check the bloom forecast before you head out to time your viewing. Cherry blossoms bloom in various places in Ontario, including Ottawa. To track the cherry blossom bloom in the famous High Park location, has a detailed and updated tracker so you can plan your visit. RBG updates its Flowering Cherry Bloom Watch . A cherry blossom hotline also offers information about bloom predictions and can be reached at 647-946-2547 . — With files from Itai Buenahora
Japan Times
10-04-2025
- Japan Times
AI app helps monitor cherry-tree health and keep hanami tradition blooming
Cherry blossom season is in full swing across Japan, but one issue looms over one of the country's most beautiful occasions — the aging of the iconic trees. Many sakura trees — specifically the most common Somei-Yoshino variety — were planted when Japan during its postwar economic boom, and are now reaching the end of their estimated lifespan of around 60 to 70 years. To deal with the risks associated with aging, deteriorating cherry trees, authorities are taking measures that include cutting them down. In one case in April last year, a cherry blossom tree suddenly fell over onto a narrow street in Kyoto, injuring a passerby. This year, a historic sakura festival in Mie Prefecture — which is home to around 500 Somei-Yoshino trees — was canceled after arborists deemed that multiple trees were in danger of falling. Typically, when cherry blossom trees reach the end of their lifespan, local authorities take steps such as cutting them down or replanting them. However, many are unable to do so due to a shortage of workers and funds. To lend a helping hand, Kirin Brewery launched a camera app last month that can analyze the health of a cherry blossom tree through the use of artificial intelligence. The app, called Harekaze Action Sakura AI Camera, can estimate the age of a tree from a picture taken on a user's smartphone. The collected data, including its location, goes into a database that relevant local governments can access. "In order to take care of cherry blossom trees, the most important thing is to know the current status of them and we hope the (app) will help do exactly that," said Toshio Katsuki, a researcher at the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute. Kirin Brewery has been making donations to local authorities for cherry blossom maintenance since 2024, and the company hopes its latest data collection effort will have long-term positive effects. '(The project) will continue to protect cherry blossoms over the long term, little by little, starting with what we can do, so that people can enjoy hanami (cherry blossom viewing) in future springs as well,' said Risa Shioda, a member of the Kirin Brewery project.
Japan Times
31-03-2025
- Climate
- Japan Times
Cherry blossoms come into full bloom in Tokyo
The sample cherry tree monitored in Tokyo by the Meteorological Agency came into full bloom Sunday, the agency said. The full bloom of the Somei-Yoshino tree at Yasukuni Shrine in the Japanese capital's Chiyoda Ward came five days earlier than last year and one day earlier than usual years. The agency judges that a monitored cherry tree has reached full bloom when about 80% or more of its buds are open. On Sunday, monitored sample cherry trees reached full bloom also in the cities of Wakayama and Matsuyama, both western Japan.
The Independent
24-03-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Tokyo cherry blossoms bloom earlier than other Japan regions
Cherry trees in Tokyo have begun to bloom in stunning shades of pink, marking the onset of spring in Japan. Tokyo cherry blossoms were forecast to come into bloom earlier than any other region of the country for the second consecutive year. At least six cherry blossom buds opened up on the specimen tree in Sannomaru at the Kochi Castle in the southwest of the country, Japan Meteorological Agency said. This Somei-Yoshino cherry blossom tree is the official marker for declaring the start of the sakura or the cherry blossom season each year, which draws thousands of tourists from across the world. Kumamoto city declared the blooming of cherry blossoms three days earlier than last year but a day later than average, according to reports. Japan usually sees the peak cherry blossom season in March and April when the streets of its major cities are adorned by beautiful pink and white flowers. But temperatures on Sunday reached levels for late April to mid-June in many parts of Japan, with a high-pressure system covering most parts of the country, the weather agency said. Many areas of Japan recorded temperatures of more than 25C or higher, which the agency defines as a summer day. The daytime temperature soared to 26.8C in Tsuyama City in Okayama Prefecture, making it the highest temperature for March since the weather agency began record-taking in 1943. This year's cherry blossom season began five days earlier than 2024, and the trees are expected to be in full bloom by the end of the week. Climate crisis and urban warming have been impacting the flowering dates of cherry blossoms in Japan. Last year, the cherry blossoms bloomed early in February with streets in Kawazu already been covered with pink flowers. In 2023, the iconic blossoms appeared ten days earlier than usual and tied with an early record set in 2020 and 2021 for the earliest bloom date since the records began in 1950s. In Japan, forecasts for cherry blossom bloom are an integral part of the country's spring celebrations. The government has set a standard for observing cherry blossom trees and has been forecasting the annual bloom since 1955. According to the rules, once five or six flowers have opened on the branches of the tree, it's considered to be blossoming. Once 80 per cent of the tree has flowered, it's deemed to be in full bloom. Why is the sakura season important? The sakura or cherry blossom season does not just hold cultural significance, but it's also a major tourist attraction. An estimated 63 million people travel to Japan to see the cherry blossoms, spending around $2.7bn in the process, according to a 2019 estimate from Kansai University. In March 2024, a record 3.1 million tourists visited Japan during the spring season, a 70 per cent increase from the previous year. The flowers are loved by people in Japan as much as the tourists, who flock to parks to hold picnics to view and photograph the blossoms. Stores in Japan stock their shelves with flower-themed or favoured items such as pink sakura drinks, cakes and even lunch boxes. The Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit will be held in the first week of April, when the fast-corner track will be adorned with blooming cherry blossoms. The race last year drew about 222,000 fans from Japan and across the world. View this post on Instagram A post shared by F1 Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka Circuit) (@f1japanesegp) When will the blossoms completely bloom this year? The timing of the sakura season varies in Japan by region, beginning from late March and extending till the end of April. This year, blooms are expected to appear in Hiroshima and Kochi in western Japan and Miyazaki in southwestern Japan this week. It will be followed by Yokohama and in the southwestern Japanese cities of Fukuoka, Saga and Nagasaki. In northeastern Japan, the flowers are forecast to bloom by mid-April and Hokkaido will be the last to witness the pink in late April. How to enjoy the blossoms Grab some drinks, food and a blue tarpaulin picnic sheet, and do a spot of hanami. Literally meaning 'flower viewing', hanami are the picnics and parties held in cherry blossom spots, which can range from a mellow afternoon with family in the local park to sake-fuelled parties with colleagues. Ueno Park in Tokyo is in the latter category, a sea of picnic sheets under an expanse of billowing blossom. By nightfall, the park will be littered with passed-out hanami casualties. Tokyo's Shinjuku Gyoen Park is far calmer, as there's an admission fee and no-alcohol policy for anyone who wants to relax amid the 1,300 multi-varied blossoms spread across its lawns and gardens. The Imperial Palace's Edo-era Chidiorgafuchi moat, however, can stake a strong claim as the most attractive blossom spot in the capital, its banks bursting with pink. A top hanami spot at night is the hip Nakameguro neighbourhood, where blossoms, paper lanterns and food and drink trucks line the concrete banks of the Meguro River.
