Culture · 4 min read
Somei Yoshino
The pale pink, almost white tree behind most bloom forecasts. It was bred in Edo era Tokyo and planted across the country, which is why whole cities bloom at once.
Yamazakura
The wild mountain cherry, whose flowers open with reddish leaves. Yoshino in Nara is famous for tens of thousands of them.
Shidarezakura
Weeping cherries with long hanging branches, often found at temples. They tend to bloom a few days before Somei Yoshino.
Kawazu zakura and Kanhizakura
Early, deep pink varieties. Kawazu on the Izu peninsula blooms in February and Okinawa's kanhizakura even earlier.
Yaezakura
Double blossom cherries with full, ruffled flowers that bloom one to two weeks after Somei Yoshino, extending the season into late April.