The wintersweet are finally blooming

When Mt Hodo in Nagatoro were late to set their dates for their annual wintersweet festival this year, I had a suspicion that they were expecting the wintersweet to bloom late. Then, when they finally set the dates, to start from February 1st, I knew they were late. This festival has always started before the last week in January. 

Then, sure enough as I toured around my usual wintersweet locations in the last few weeks, I could see that the wintersweet weren't just late in Nagatoro this year, but in various locations in Saitama Prefecture. Except for in Saitama City, where - if anything - they were a bit early! But other parts of Saitama are catching up now and in the last three to four days, I've been seeing some in bloom.  

Of the wintersweet I visited this week, Omiya Hana no Oka (you will find reviewed on City-cost) was the furthest along and Kodai Hasu no Hasu (also reviewed on City-cost), as well as some temple's wintersweet, were the least developed. One of today's locations pictured, where there were some trees in good stages of bloom and others that were practically bare!