The Somei Yoshino Blossom

One of the most famous cherry blossoms, and most likely the sakura that people inside and outside Japan think of when discussing cherry blossoms, is the Somei Yoshino variety of cherry blossoms.  They were first cultivated in the Edo Period in the Tokyo region, and they are the most cultivated variety of cherry blossoms.  From the countless images I have taken and the experiences I’ve had over two decades traveling Japan I can assure you their beauty is breathtaking.  I have seen them blooming in Mid- to Late-March in the southern regions of Japan, Kyushu, and the Shikoku regions, which tend to warm faster than their northern counterparts in the Tohoku region or near my satellite office in Niigata, Japan.  However, I have also seen them as late as May in full bloom in Aomori and other prefectures near the tip of Honshu, Japan’s main island.

The Somei Yoshino delicate sakura petals shine white during mid-day sunlight with just a hint of pink, and on cloudy days or in the shade or just after or before golden hour, they appear pinker. Of course, several agricultural elements such as the ground they are planted in and the nutrients they have received contribute to the degree that the hint of pink is expressed.  The close-up shots reveal the slightest shading of pink, making the five-petal blossom even more marvelous. The Somei Yoshino sakura flowers are in their fully bloomed state long before the green leaves sprout.