Sakura is the Japanese term for cherry blossom – that most beautiful of Japanese flowers. In particular, the prunus serrulata, or Japanese cherry, is native to Japan as well as Korea and China.
In Japan it blooms between the end of March and early May, depending on location, with each tree’s blossoms only lasting for a couple of weeks. The first trees to flower are found in Okinawa in January, while those in Tokyo flower at the beginning of April.
The tree produces the pinky-white flowers which are so well-known from Japanese art. Sakura doesn’t just have immense cultural significance in Japan, it has a massive economic influence as well. Around sakura season, shop windows fill up with cherry blossom-adorned wares. And despite the word ‘cherry’ being part of the tree’s name, cultivated sakura often do not bear fruit – it is the all-important blossom for which they are prized.
Cherry blossom is so popular in Japan that there is even a tradition every spring called hanami – where people celebrate the flowers by having outdoor parties under the sakura’s boughs. This is something which is explored in Springwatch In Japan
