Weathernews Sakura App is the one!

Each year I download several Apps to keep track of the condition of the cherry blossoms in Saitama Prefecture. Then, at the end of the season, I uninstall them! A few days ago I asked in the Q&A section of City-cost what Apps people were using, because I couldn't remember one of the Apps I know I found useful last year! Thankfully, in the meantime I remembered what it was, and its just as well...

Weathernews Sakura App

Weathernews Sakura App is, in my experience, one of the most useful Apps to keep track of the stages of bloom of cherry blossoms in Saitama Prefecture. What they have that others don't is more information on the stages of the buds. For example, Tenki.jp just has the stage 'buds', while Weathernews has 'buds' and 'pink buds'.  This gives more of an indication of how close to bloom the cherry blossoms are. Pink buds are typically only a few days away from opening.

Today, while tenki.jp and other Apps and websites have all Somei Yoshino trees in Saitama Prefecture marked as in the 'buds' stage, Weathernews has one location in the 'pink buds' stage. So I know that Sakuranoyama cherry blossoms will probably start to bloom soon.

I have no doubt each App or website is better at keeping things up to date for certain prefectures over others. So while other Apps or websites might be better for other prefectures, Weathernews has proven one of the most useful for Saitama Prefecture. I do like Tenki.jp too. The main downside of Weathernews is that they don't give all the big cherry blossom locations in Saitama. There are quite a few of the most noteworthy cherry blossom locations missing from their list. Hence I use a mix of different Apps and websites to keep an eye on the bloom of Saitama's sakura trees!

There are also websites that give information on festivals and light up, but they don't show what stage of bloom the cherry blossom trees are at. You can find some great suggestions from other City-cost writers here. Have you any other Apps or websites you recommend for sakura information in Japan?