Blooming too soon: Early blossom a sign of climate change, say Japanese
Cherry blossom in places like Tokyo is widely cherished and celebrated in Japan. Photo: Eugene Hoshiko / AP
The pink cherry blossoms of Kyoto in Japan reached full bloom this year on March 26, the earliest date in the 12 centuries since records began, according to a university.
The earlier flowering indicates climate change, said Yasuyuki Aono, a professor of environmental science at Japan’s Osaka Prefectural University, who has compiled a database of records of the full blooms over the centuries.
Global temperatures last year were among the highest on record and rivalled 2016 as the hottest year ever, according to the World Meteorological Organisation.
“As the temperatures rise the onset of flowering is earlier,” Professor Aono said.
Osaka University records include court documents from Imperial Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, as well as medieval diaries.
Cherry blossoms have long historical and cultural roots in Japan, heralding spring and inspiring artists and poets through the centuries.
In modern times, people gather under the cherry blooms every spring for blossom-viewing parties that are often well lubricated with sake and can last for days
.
Reuters
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