Spring

Hanami (花見) — literally “flower viewing” — is the Japanese tradition of gathering under blooming cherry trees to eat, drink, and celebrate spring. It’s one of the most joyful cultural traditions in Japan, and completely open to everyone. When Is Cherry Blossom Season? Cherry blossom timing varies by year and location. The Japan Meteorological Corporation releases an annual sakura forecast in January. Approximate timing by region: Region Typical Full Bloom Okinawa Late January–February Kyushu (Fukuoka) Late March Tokyo / Kanto Late March–Early April Osaka / Kyoto Late March–Early April Nagoya Late March–Early April Sendai / Tohoku Mid April Sapporo / Hokkaido Late April–Early May Bloom lasts only about 1–2 weeks. The peak (mankai, 満開) is fleeting — watch forecasts and act quickly. ...

If you’ve never had hay fever in your home country, Japan may change that. Japan’s cedar pollen (sugi kafunsho — スギ花粉症) season is one of the worst in the world. About 30–40% of Japan’s population suffers from it, and many foreigners develop symptoms after living here for 1–3 years. Japan’s Pollen Calendar Month Pollen Type Severity February Cedar (スギ) begins Moderate March Cedar peak + Cypress (ヒノキ) starts Very high April Cypress peak Very high May Grass pollen Moderate June–January Minimal pollen Low The worst months are March and April. In bad years, pollen counts can be 10x higher than usual. ...