Category: Flower information

Breathtaking cherry blossoms at Shinjuku Gyoen and a fun sushi class

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Today, I welcomed three guests, arranged by a travel agency, from the United States around Tokyo. The guests’ hotel was in Higashi Ginza, so we first walked to Tsukiji Fish Market and strolled around looking at fresh seafood and rare vegetables such as spring wild plants.


After that, I guided them to Meiji Shrine and served them simple snacks such as noodles at the cafe terrace inside the shrine.
After that, I guided the guests to a sushi making class in Shinanomachi, which was arranged by the travel agency. While the guests were enjoying the sushi class, I went to our next destination, Shinjuku Gyoen garden, to check out the best cherry blossoms to admire, and then welcomed the guests to Shinjuku Gyoen.


The Somei-Yoshino cherry trees were in full bloom, but I showed them the best cherry blossoms and took a commemorative photo. After that, we moved to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, where the guests enjoyed the evening project mapping of the buildings, and then I sent them off to the hotel.

A peaceful early spring stroll around Tokyo and an evening cruise on Yokohama Port

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Double bridge gate

Today, after showing a friendly family from Oregon around Sensoji Temple, the Imperial Palace, and Hie Shrine. We had Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki for lunch near Shinjuku Gyoen garden, and then strolled around Shinjuku Gyoen, where the early-blooming cherry blossoms, including Shidaresakura, weeping cherry and Yoko line cherry trees, were in full bloom.

The weather was nice, and the guests were very pleased. Afterwards, we went to Yokohama Port, where they enjoyed an evening cruise around the port.

This tour was organized through Tours by Locals.

Review from the guest posted to Tours by Locals

We have been communicating with Atsuhiro over several months to plan the day. It was amazing! He even made reservations at wonderful restaurants with foods as per our request and guided us to a Yokohama cruise after a lovely day filled with shrines, temples, cherry blossoms, and info regarding Japanese traditions and history. Truly memorable day. Highly recommend touring with Atsuhiro.

A preview tour of the popular tourist spot, Kawagoe

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Today, I went to Kawagoe City, Saitama to check the cherry blossom blooming situation for a guest I will be introducing next week. Kawagoe is located about 50 km north of Tokyo and is a popular tourist spot that retains the atmosphere of the Edo, Meiji and Taisho periods (pre-modern times to early modern).

My friend kindly accompanied me and we walked around the town of shop of warehouses style and the popular Hikawa Shrine, and checked the cherry blossom blooming situation on the banks of the Shingashi River.

The early-blooming Okanzakura cherry on the river were at their best, but it seemed unclear whether the main variety Somei Yoshino cherry, would be in full bloom next week.

Field workshop on early blooming cherry species in Takao mountain

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Yesterday, I planned and carried out an observation event for early-spring plants such as early-blooming cherry blossoms at the Tama Forest Science Garden at the foot of Mount Takao in Hachioji City, a suburb of Tokyo.

In 2025, the early-blooming cherry blossoms bloomed late, and we were only able to see some cherry blossoms, such as Hachisukazakura and Kanzakura, but we learned about the differences between the wild species of cherry blossoms and cultivated variety such as Satozakura, as well as how to read botanical names.

We learned on how to create varieties from seedlings, and how to create varieties from branch mutations. We also learned about the differences between registered varieties and other varieties.

Although there were only a few in bloom, we also learned about the characteristics of early-blooming varieties such as Kanzakura, and the difference in the blooming period between single and double petal varieties. 

We exchanged opinions on strategies to preserve the offspring of species including Anemone japonica or Mimigatanantensyo Arisaema limbatum, and how to distinguish between violets that are difficult to identify.

Flower report Japan 2025. 03.19 Cherry, Oh-kanzakura

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Flower :
Cerasus ×kanzakura ‘Oh-kanzakura/ Cherry var. Oh-kanzakura/ オオカンザクラ 大寒桜
Cerasus spachiana ‘Pendula’/ Cherry var. Shidare-sakura/ シダレザクラ 枝垂桜
Cerasus × kanzakura ‘Kawazu-zakura’/ Cherry var. Kawazu-zakura/ カワヅサクラ 河津桜

Place & Date:
Ueno park, Tokyo 2025.03.19 東京 上野公園

Oh-kanzakura

Shidare-sakura

Kawazu-zakura

#Cherry #Oh-kanzakura #Shidare-sakura #Kawazu-zakura #オオカンザクラ #シダレザクラ #カワヅサクラ #大寒桜 #枝垂桜 #河津桜 #上野公園

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#Satsua

Unseasonable snow fell in Tokyo

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Today (19th March 2025), we have unexpected snow even in the city center of Tokyo, with a thin snow layer on ground. A thin layer of snow has accumulated on the roof of the Kaminarimon Gate (Thundar gate) and main hall of Sensoji Temple, and the lawn of in front of the Imperial Palace and Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden are also slightly white.

The early-blooming cherry varieties have already begun to bloom, but the mid-season and later varieties that will bloom from now on may be a little late in blooming.

Flower report Japan 2025. 03.19 Cherry, Takatoh kohigan

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Flower :
Cerasus ×subhirtella ‘Takatoh-kohigan’ / Cherry variety Takatoh Kohigan/ タカトウコヒガン 高遠小彼岸
Cerasus campanulata ‘Yoko’/ Cherry var. Yoko/ ヨウコウサクラ 陽光桜
Cerasus x subhirtella ‘kohigan’/ Cherry var. Kohigan/コヒガン 小彼岸
Cerasus campanulata/ Taiwan cherry/ ヒカンザクラ 緋寒桜

Place & Date:
Shinjyuku gyoen garden, Tokyo 2025.03.19 東京 新宿御苑

Takatoh Kohigan

Yoko

Kohigan

Hikan

#Cherry #Takatoh-kohigan #Yokocherry #Kohigancherry #Taiwancherry #タカトウコヒガン #ヨウコウサクラ #コヒガンサクラ #ヒカンザクラ #高遠小彼岸 #陽光 #小彼岸桜 #緋寒桜 #新宿御苑

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#Satsua

Flower report Japan 2025. 02.27 Cherry, Kawazu-zakura

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Flower :
Cerasus × kanzakura ‘Kawazu-zakura’/ Cherry var. Kawazu-zakura/ カワヅサクラ 河津桜
Place & Date:
Odaiba Tokyo big site, Tokyo 2025.02.27 東京 お台場　東京ビッグサイト

Kawazu-zakura

The cold weather in mid-February delayed the blooming of the Kawazu cherry blossoms, but with the warm weather over the past few days, the petals have finally begun to open. The bright pink of the blossoms stands out against the blue sky.

Cherry #Kawazu-zakura #sinnjyukugyoen #カワヅサクラ#河津桜 #お台場 #東京ビッグサイト

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#Satsua

Flower report Japan 2025.02.19 – Cherry, Satsuma-kanzakuraa

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Flower :
Cerasus × kanzakura ‘Satsuma-kanzakura’/ Cherry variety Satsuma-kanzakura/ サツマカンザクラ 薩摩寒桜
Cerasus ×kanzakura ‘Atami zakura’/ Cherry var. Atamizakura/ アタミザクラ 熱海桜
Cerasus × kanzakura ‘Kawazu-zakura’/ Cherry var. Kawazu-zakura/ カワヅサクラ 河津桜
Place & Date:
Shinjyuku gyoen garden, Tokyo 2025.02.19 東京 新宿御苑

Satsuma-kanzakura

Satsuma-kanzakura is considered a hybrid of Kanhizakura (Cerasus campanulata) and Yamazakura (C. jamasakura) and belong to Kanzakura group. There are several varieties of Kanzakura, but in Tokyo, along with Atamizakura, it is the variety that blooms the earliest, blooming about one week earlier than Kawazuzakura, popular early blooming variety in Tokyo.

Atamizakura

The cherry variety hybred by “Kanzakura” or “Kanhizakura” (C. campanulata) which is local vriety in Taiwn or Okinawa and Yamazakura (C. jamasakura) in Westside Japan and planted in Atami almost 150 years ago. It is well known as one of the earliest blooming variety in Japan and also lasting blooming almost 1 month.In Atami, the Cherry Blossom Festival is held from January onwards, and these beloved cherry trees are planted all over the city, but in Tokyo there are not many opportunities to see them, and they are not as well known as the Kawazu cherry trees.

Kawadusakura

The large, pink Kawazu cherry blossoms are famous not only in Kawazu Town, Shizuoka Prefecture, where they originated, but throughout the Kanto region, where they bloom from early to mid-February, and cherry blossom festivals are held in various places. They are popular because their flowers are larger and fully open than the Kanhi-zakura (C. campanulata), blooming the same time.

Cherry #Satsumakanzakura #Atamizakura #Kawazu-zakura #sinnjyukugyoen #サツマカンザクラ #カワヅサクラ #アタミザクラ #薩摩寒桜 #熱海桜 #河津桜 #新宿御苑

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Autumn harvest observation event in Yoyogi Park on a cold, rainy autumn day

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Unfortunately, it rained in Tokyo on Saturday, the first day of the three-day weekend. However, the rain was still a little light in the morning, so the Nature Exploration group in Tokyo City Guide Club held an observation event in Yoyogi Park with the theme of autumn fruits or nuts.

We don’t usually pay much attention to these small fruits, but if looking closely, I can see that Chinese hackberry, Scabrous aphananthe, and camphor trees are secretly bearing fruits.

Also, depending on the type of acorn, the way the fruit is formed and the shape and pattern of the cupule, also called a cap, vary, and when we understand the differences, we will feel a little proud. The autumn leaves in the park have started to change little by little, with flowering dogwood and winged spindle bearing red fruits, but most of the trees, including the maple, are still green.

The autumn leaves are a little late this year, but in a little while the leaves of the trees in the park will turn red and yellow and we will be able to enjoy them again, but I am a little worried about how the heat of this summer will affect the autumn leaves.

What surprised me a little was that the early-blooming Kawazu cherry trees was blooming out of season. Could this be due to the long, hot summer this yea

r?

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