Cherry trees in full bloom near the Imperial Palace with Tokyo Tower in the background, Tokyo, Japan
© Jon Arnold/Danita Delimon
Spring blossoms in Tokyo. Cherry blossom season in Tokyo
Each spring, folks across Japan observe 'hanami,' a treasured tradition of viewing nature's breathtaking display of cherry blossoms. Japanese cherry trees, known as 'sakura,' reach full bloom in March in the south of the country. Our homepage picture shows cherry blossoms cascading over the moats which surround the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
Blooms progress northward throughout March and April, with the final flowerings gracing the slow-to-thaw Hokkaido prefecture as the season ends. To help people seek out the best displays, the Japanese Meteorological Agency carefully tracks the 'cherry blossom front' across the island nation. This year, the earliest blooms are expected to start flowering in Tokyo on or around March 16.
Related Images
Sailors begin their journey from Chicago to Mackinac Island, Michigan, during the Race to Mackinac
Remains of a Mulberry harbour from the D-Day invasion, Arromanches-les-Bains, Normandy, France
The Grand Canal and Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute in Venice, Italy
Sailboats in Warnemünde, Germany
German navy tall ship Gorch Fock in waters off Reykjavík, Iceland
The Ship of Tolerance, an international art installation in Zug, Switzerland
Boats massing for the Barcolana regatta in the Gulf of Trieste, Italy
Caribou swimming across Alaska's Kobuk River during fall migration
Bing Today Images
