Japan just recorded its earliest cherry blossom bloom in 1,200 years. Scientists warn it’s a symptom of the larger climate crisis
Think of Japan in the spring, and the image that comes to mind is likely the country’s famous cherry blossoms, also known as “sakura” white and pink flowers, bursting across cities and mountains, petals covering the ground.
The flowers, which experience a “peak bloom” that only lasts a few days, have been revered in Japan for more than a thousand years. Crowds celebrate with viewing parties, flocking to the most popular locations to take photos and have picnics underneath the branches.
Cherry blossom season in Japan had its earliest peak in 1,200 years – and experts blame climate change By Caitlin O Kane Nature: Cherry blossoms
Cherry blossom season in Japan is an annual spectacle that signals spring – but in 2021, spring has sprung earlier than usual. In fact, this year Kyoto saw the earliest cherry blossom season in 1,209 years, according to data collected by Osaka University.
The 2021 cherry blossoms peaked on March 26, which hasn t occurred since 812 AD, according to the data. The cherry blossoms have come close to beating the record – peaking on March 27 a few times – records show.
Yasuyuki Aono, a researcher at Osaka Prefecture University, wrote in the study that he used diaries and records about cherry blossoms, or sakura, kept by emperors, aristocrats, governors and monks in Kyoto, dating back to 812.
Japan just recorded its earliest cherry blossom bloom in 1,200 years as impact of climate crisis intensifies
Think of Japan in the spring, and the image that comes to mind is likely the country’s famous cherry blossoms, also known as “sakura” white and pink flowers, bursting across cities and mountains, petals covering the ground.
The flowers, which experience a “peak bloom” that only lasts a few days, have been revered in Japan for more than a thousand years. Crowds celebrate with viewing parties, flocking to the most popular locations to take photos and have picnics underneath the branches.
But this year, cherry blossom season has come and gone in the blink of an eye, in one of the earliest blooms on record and scientists warn it’s a symptom of the larger climate crisis threatening ecosystems everywhere.
Japan records its earliest cherry blossom bloom in 1,200 years; scientists warn it s a symptom of larger climate crisis By: CNN
By Jessie Yeung, Selina Wang and Derek Van Dam, CNN
(CNN) Think of Japan in the spring, and the image that comes to mind is likely the country s famous cherry blossoms, also known as sakura white and pink flowers, bursting across cities and mountains, petals covering the ground.
The flowers, which experience a peak bloom that only lasts a few days, have been revered in Japan for more than a thousand years. Crowds celebrate with viewing parties, flocking to the most popular locations to take photos and have picnics underneath the branches.