Cherry blossom forecast 2021 released: Sakura set to bloom early in Tokyo again this year

Despite the distinct chill in the air, and masses of snow covering some of Japan’s coldest areas, spring is actually just around the corner, and that means it’s time to start making plans for the sakura cherry blossom season.
Helping out in that regard is Japanese weather forecasting company Weathernews, who just released its first cherry blossom forecast for 2021. And according to their predictions, it’s going to be another warm start to the season, meaning the sakura will be unfurling their petals earlier than usual in Tokyo this year.
This image released by Weathernews shows the predicted starting date for the blossoming of the nation’s somei yoshino trees, Japan’s most popular sakura variety, in capital cities famous for their blooms.
The capital cities and predicted start dates above are:


Kagoshima: 23 March




Fukuoka: 20 March




Kochi: 20 March




Hiroshima: 23 March




Osaka: 24 March




Nagoya: 21 March




Kanazawa: 29 March




Tokyo: 18 March




Nagano: 5 April




Niigata: 2 April




Sendai: 1 April




Akita: 14 April




Aomori: 17 April




Sapporo: 23 April




Kushiro: 9 May


Once the sakura start blooming, it’s often a mad dash to see them before they disappear, as the delicate flowers only blossom for a week or so. For those heading out to some of the country’s most famous hanami flower-viewing spots, the stating dates may differ slightly, depending on their proximity to the capital, so these dates will be helpful: