Tokyo's Cherry Blossom Season officially "open"

Yesterday morning, Thursday March 19th, 2026, I was watching a report on the television about the condition of the cherry blossoms at Yasukuni Shrine. Yasukuni Shrine is home to the benchmark Somei Yoshino Cherry Blossom tree. Once it has five to six open flowers the season is declared "open". 

However, the report was from 2 pm on the previous day, March 18th. Each day the shrine examines the condition of the cherry blossoms around 2 pm. On the 18th, there were only two open flowers on the tree, so they didn't declare the season open. The forecasts had all predicted a March 18th start date to the sakura season, so there were about 100 people at the shrine (other than the dozens of media reporters) who were waiting, with great anticipation, for the season to be declared.

The report on the television yesterday morning pointed out that since 2 pm on the 18th, the cherry blossoms had really popped and there was more than the requisite 5 to 6 open flowers. So I knew they were going to declare the season open yesterday. And sure enough, at the 2 pm check yesterday, March 19th 2026, the officials at Yasukuni Shrine declared the 2026 (Somei Yoshino) Cherry Blossom season open.