"Cherry Blossom Time In Kyoto" a Kyoto Travel Page by dlytle

Cherry blossoms are known all around the world as the symbol of Japanese culture, and have been composed in many Japanese poems from ancient times. For the locals, they herald the coming of spring and the turn of a new year. Cherry blossom viewing has been a Japanese custom since the 7th century when the aristocrats enjoyed looking at the cherry blossoms and wrote poems.

There are cherry trees everywhere in Japan. Also, if you are planning to visit Kyoto, spring is the best time. Kyoto's historical sites are famous for their cherry trees. Many tourists visit Kyoto for cherry blossoms.

The cherry trees of Japan are called Sakura and are different from the cherry trees of other countries. The Japanese cherry tree does not yield fruit like other cherry trees. The cherry blossoms bloom at different times throughout Japan. And the Japanese cherry blossoms open all at once and the petals fall after a relatively short span, about one week to 10 days. During that time you can enjoy their delicacy and transience, which for many, have poignant and poetic appeal. The cherry blossoms begin blooming in January in Okinawa, and they are at their peak in late March to April in Honshu region of Japan. In Hokkaido, Sakura come to their peak in late May.

They are breathtaking beautiful so enjoy this lovely picture that I have from 2006 in Kyoto.