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Japan’s Kyoto Cherry Blossoms reached earliest full bloom in 1,200 years, a sign of climate change

After an unusually warm spring, Kyoto has burst into color far sooner than expected

Published: March 30, 2021 14:37 Compiled by Nilanjana Javed, Senior Web Editor with inputs from Washington Post

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A woman wearing a face mask as a precaution against the coronavirus takes a photograph under blooming cherry blossoms in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 30, 2021. ( — During an exceptionally warm March in Japan, the cherry blossoms in Kyoto peaked Friday, the earliest in more than 1,200 years of records. The bloom fits into a long-term pattern toward earlier spring flowering, a compelling indicator of climate change, experts say. Image Credit: AP Photo

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People watch cherry blossoms at Inokashira Park in Tokyo on March 30, 2021. — The March 26, 2021, peak bloom date surpassed the previous record holder of March 27, 1409, nearly a century before Christopher Columbus sailed to America. The long-term record dates back to 812 A.D., not longer after Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor. "The Kyoto Cherry Blossom record is incredibly valuable for climate change research because of its length and the strong sensitivity of flowering to springtime temperatures (warmer springs equal earlier flowering, typically)," said Benjamin Cook, a research scientist at Columbia University who specializes in reconstructing climate data from the past. Image Credit: AFP

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A bench is seen underneath cherry blossoms in a closed zone, to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, at Inokashira Park in Tokyo on March 30, 2021. — Unique for its longevity, the cherry blossom records show that the average peak bloom date was relatively stable for about 1,000 years, from about 812 to 1800. But then, the peak bloom dates slope abruptly downward, revealing a shift earlier and earlier in the spring. "Since the 1800s, warming has led to a steady trend toward earlier flowering that continues to the present day," Cook said. "Some of this warming is due to climate change, but some is also likely from an enhanced heat island effect due to increased urbanization of the environment over the last couple of centuries." Image Credit: AFP

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People wearing protective masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus walk across a street under a canopy of cherry blossoms Sunday, March 28, 2021, in Tokyo. Japan's favorite flower, called — The data is a treasure, having been maintained by emperors, aristocrats, governors and monks over the centuries. Most recently, Yasuyuki Aono, a scientist at Osaka Prefecture University, has tracked the blossoms and posted the data online. Image Credit: AP Photo

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A woman wearing a protective mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus carries a pet dog to take a photo under cherry blossoms Friday, March 26, 2021, in Tokyo. Cherry blossoms in many parts of Japan used to reach its prime in April just as the country celebrates the start of its new school and business year. Today, they bloom earlier in the spring and are mostly gone for the occasion, most likely because of the climate change. — Cherry blossoms have burst unusually early all over Japan this spring. Image Credit: AP

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People looks at cherry blossoms at Inokashira Park in Tokyo on March 30, 2021. — In Kyoto, the shift toward earlier blooms has been most rapid in the last 100 to 150 years. In 1850, the average flowering date was about April 17; now, it's closer to April 5. During this time, the average temperature in Kyoto has risen by about 6 degrees (3.4 Celsius). Image Credit: AFP

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People ride a boat looking at cherry blossoms at Inokashira Park in Tokyo on March 30, 2021. — The shape of the trend line through the blossom flowering dates resembles a hockey stick - with a flat handle but sharply sloping blade. Studies documenting temperature changes over the past 1,000 to 2,000 years have taken on a similar shape, reflecting a relatively stable climate through the mid-1800s, and a quickly warming one since. Image Credit: AFP

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A woman wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus takes a photo of cherry blossoms in Tokyo, Tuesday, March 30, 2021. — In Tokyo, they reached full bloom March 22, their second-earliest date and earliest since 1953, according to the Japan Forward. It marked the ninth consecutive earlier-than-normal bloom, the Forward reported, after nearly a week during which high temperatures climbed to at least 68 degrees (20 Celsius). The average full bloom date is March 25. Image Credit: AP

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People ride boats watching cherry blossoms at Inokashira Park in Tokyo on March 30, 2021. — The trends toward earlier blooms in Japan have also been observed in the cherry trees at the Tidal Basin in Washington gifted by Japan in 1912. Since 1921, the National Park Service has kept a record of their peak flowering dates. Image Credit: AFP

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Visitors wearing face masks as a precaution against the coronavirus sit on benches while maintaining social distancing under blooming cherry blossoms in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 30, 2021. — In the century of records, the average peak bloom date of the Yoshino cherry trees in Washington has advanced six to seven days, from about April 5 to March 31. Image Credit: AP Photo

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