Breaking 2024
MISSING since Jan. 2024. I suppose we can’t admire it this year.
Overview
- Kitanozakura is the last-blooming Sakura in Kyoto. It is only found in Kitano Tenmangu shrine.
- Usually, Kitano Zakura starts to bloom around April 15 and is in full bloom in around 20th though Someiyoshino, so-called Sakura, goes into full bloom in early April.
- In 2020, the best time to admire Kitanozakura is around April 10, I suspect.
What is Kitanozakura?
Kitanozakura is located at the flower in the map.
Kitanozakura is known as the last-blooming Sakura in Kyoto. It is Sakura indigenous to Kitano Tenmangu shrine. No one can find it in any other places on the planet. The flowers bloom on a 120 years old tree in and was known as late-bloomer.
The tree survived for about 12 decades and had a hole like this (Now the hole was plastered). Kitano Tenmangu shrine suspected that it was dying. The shrine asked Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd., the famous logging and construction company, to make an inspection on the tree. The company found it did not match any Sakura on the database it had. In addition to it, it also noticed that it did not resemble any other Sakura in appearance. In the end, Kitanozakura was “discovered” as a new Sakura species.
The flower
The peculiar thing about Kitanozakura is the color of the flower. At first, white flower blooms. In a couple of days, it turns into a pink one. Most of Sakura in spring don’t change its color. This means that we can’t see the same Kitanozakura in another times.
We have Someiyoshino in every spring. If we were in the same place we visit in the previous year, we would see Someiyoshino in the same way.
On the other hand, in Kitanotenmangu shrine, we couldn’t see Kitanozakura in the same way at all even in the next day.
This flower tells Kyoto that spring is nearly ending. We notice that winter is ending with Kawazu Zakura, find ourselves in the midst of spring with Someiyoshino, and all of a sudden, realize that spring on the verge of ending.
The bloom of 2023
4/1
Today, some flowers are in bloom.
Earlier than expected. About 10 days, I’m sure.
3/25
Someiyoshinos are in full bloom and I start the revision of Koki 2683/ Reiwa 5/ 2023. 合掌
Not yet bloomed. I found small buds.
The bloom of 2020
April 11, 2020
I found some flowers on the tree. About 10％ bloom. It will be in full-bloom in the next week end. Omuro Zakura start to fall off.
April 5, 2020
The buds are blooming. We can see flowers in the next weekend.
On the other hand, we are in the best time to enjoy Shidare Zakura.
March 29, 2020
I found small buds today. I suppose Kitano Zakura will start to bloom around April 10 and be in full bloom around 17.
February
Not yet bloomed. I’ll show you the records of the last 2 years. Usually, Kitanozakura start to bloom in around 2nd week of April and is in full bloom around 20th.
The bloom of 2019
April 6, 2019
I visited Kitano Tenmangu shrine only to find small buds thought I found a couple of flowers bloomed in the same season in the last year.
This year, the flowers will bloom in the next week end. The best time will be around 20th of this month, I suppose.
On the other hand, we are in the best season of Someiyoshino now.
April 14, 2019
Today, I found a couple of flowers as I expected in the last week. Kitanozakura has just started to bloom though Someiyoshino in other places started to go away.
Now Omuro Zakura in Ninnnaji is in 80％ bloom. It would be better to visit Ninnnaji, Haradanien garden, and Kitanotenmangu shrine in the next week end.
April 20, 2019
The last 7 days, Kitanozakura was in progress. Now it is in full bloom. The best time of the year.
The bloom of 2018
April 2, 2018
I found couple of flowers though in early April. About 2 weeks earlier than expected.
I suppose the Sakura will be in full bloom around 10th.
April 8, 2018
Now Kitanozakura is in full bloom. Some flowers turned into pink.
It was tough to predict the bloom of Sakura of this year. Today, I found Ariake (sakura) at Kitano Tenmangu shrine. I admired Ariake and Kitanozakura in the same day though I can’t usually.
Every year, I visit Kitano Tenmangu shrine from January to April to see lots of flowers and to foresee when Sakura blooms. I always remember the last 4 months with the ox (I called it “Ussie-kun.”), enjoying Kitanozakura.
How to get to Kitano Tenmangu shrine?
Kyoto city bus: Kitano Tenmangu mae bus stop.
Randen: Kitano Hakubaicho station
