National Jan 10, 2020
Japan's famed cherry blossom season to arrive earlier than usual
by Magdalena Osumi
Hanami is going to start a week earlier than last year, with full bloom in Tokyo due on March 27, an Osaka weather-forecaster says.
National Nov 27, 2019
Japan will donate about 6,500 cherry trees to Britain as a symbol of their bilateral friendship, with a ceremony planned to plant some in Regent's Park in central London on Wednesday. The event was attended by various dignitaries and others including Prince Richard, Japanese Ambassador ...
National Apr 9, 2019
Japan-U.K. ties get boost with gift of thousands of cherry trees for British schools and parks
by Grace Campbell London
Thousands of cherry trees will be planted across Britain to celebrate its relationship with Japan, with a high school becoming the first site to get one. The initiative is being organized by Japanese individuals and companies in both countries as a symbol of friendship, and ...
Commentary / Japan Apr 3, 2019
Hanami a reminder of life's fleeting nature
by Yoko Ishikura
As cherry blossoms remind us each year, life is too short to waste.
National Mar 30, 2019
Crowds descend upon Imperial Palace's Inui Street to see cherry blossoms
Crowds of spectators enjoyed cherry blossom viewing along Inui Street at the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo on Saturday after the area was opened to the public. Inui Street, which stretches about 750 meters from Sakashita to Inui gates, is lined with 103 cherry trees ...
National Mar 21, 2019
The cherry blossom season officially arrived in Tokyo on Thursday after officials from the Meteorological Agency confirmed that more than five blossoms had opened on a Somei-Yoshino cherry tree at Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda Ward. Most Somei Yoshino cherry trees in Tokyo are now expected ...
National Mar 20, 2019
Cherry trees came into bloom Wednesday in Nagasaki Prefecture, marking the first blooming of the Somei-Yoshino variety to be recorded in Japan this spring, according to the Meteorological Agency. Officials confirmed at around 10 a.m. that five flowers had started to blossom from a cherry ...
Food & Drink | DESSERT WATCH Mar 9, 2019
Roll right into spring with Roll Ice Cream Factory's festive cherry blossom-flavored concoctions
by Patrick St. Michel
Roll Ice Cream Factory has become the go-to Harajuku spot to indulge in the popular rolled ice cream dessert trend with its new trio of sakura flavored sweets.
Books Feb 9, 2019
'Cherry' Ingram: An homage to the British savior of Japan's cherry blossoms
by William Hollingworth
Naoko Abe's "'Cherry' Ingram: The Englishman Who Saved Japan's Blossoms," an enchanting story about an Englishman's attempts to preserve Japan's rich cherry tree heritage in the face of rapid modernization, is due to hit bookshelves across the world in March.
National Jan 15, 2019
Cherry blossoms in Japan are predicted to arrive earlier than usual again in 2019
by Magdalena Osumi
Although some parts of Japan have yet to see this year's first snowfall, experts say they already know when spring will come. Residents of Kochi Prefecture in the Shikoku region will be the first to see cherry blossoms of the Somei-Yoshino tree this year, as ...
Food & Drink | JAPANESE KITCHEN Apr 14, 2018
Celebrating the spring with homemade Japanese sweets
by Makiko Itoh
Spring is a great time for fans of wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets. While many wagashi reflect the seasons all year long visually — especially the colorful, beautifully formed nerikiri created by skilled artisans — this is the time of year when you can taste, ...