Japan Photo Guide

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The Japan Meteorological Agency released their first cherry blossom forecast for 2007 on March 7th. Japan-Guide has made a table that is a bit easier to understand.

The winter of 2006-2007 has been much warmer than usual and the Asahi Shimbun is reporting that this year could set a record for the earliest blooming of sakura in Japan. In an article about the sakura forecast for 2007, the Asahi Shimbun says:

Cherry blossoms, nature’s way of saying spring is here, are likely to burst into bloom nationwide four to five days earlier than usual, a private meteorological company predicts.

On a related note, sakurazensen.com (sakura zensen means cherry blossom forecast) has some interesting graphs. Even if you cannot read Japanese like me, you can kind of understand what is going on. Where the line for the year hits the pink line, that is expected bloom date.

Also be sure to check out this table for average temperates in Tokyo by year/month and their respective bloom dates.

Sleeping in Japan can quite often be an expensive thing and unlike the USA where hotels charge per room, in Japan it is often a price per person. I am going to run through a couple different options that are decent, cheaper alternatives to regular hotels in Japan. See the other places to stay.

Another unique experience in Japan are the capsule hotels. Traditionally these hotels are made for business men who have missed the last train and just need a place to crash for the night. Basically you have enough space to lay down and that is it. Some people say it feels like you are sleeping in a coffin, so if you are claustrophobic, this is 100% not for you.

See more photos and read the rest of this entry »