Sakura season is not over

I've been seeing posts all over social media this week saying things like "now that the sakura season is over...". FYI; the sakura season is not over. And I don't mean because the somei yoshino are blooming up North. I mean because there are still cherry blossoms in bloom all over the kanto region. They are the late blooming cherry blossoms, collectively known as yaezakura. 

Furthermore, the yaezakura are double flowered, so you get double the bloom! Some yaezakura even have more than 100 petals! They are really fluffy, voluptuous and striking. They are usually shades of pink, but there are white ones yet. They photograph really well in all weather. Moreover, while the somei yoshino are revered since around the Edo period, the history of the yaezakura is even longer. They have been revered in Japan since ancient times and even appear in poetry from the Heian period.

The national average peak viewing period for yaezakura is mid to late April. But in Hokkaido, where the flowers bloom later, the peak viewing period is from around mid to late May. The period varies greatly depending on the region. Moreover, yaezakura bloom for a longer period than Somei Yoshino. Because its all about the somei yoshino, the period when the yaezakura are flowering is actually much quieter than in yoshino season. So you can enjoy a peaceful hanami during the period of the yaezakura bloom.

The photo in this post was taken on Monday (April 21st 2025) and I also went yaezakura viewing yesterday (April 22nd 2025) and have yaezakura viewing trips planned right up until April 29th! Do you view yaezakura too or are  you more into the somei yoshino!?