Hokkaido Trivia – Plum and Sakura Meet In Hokkaido

Hokkaido is the only region in Japan where the Ume blossoms (plum tree) and the Sakura blossoms (cherry tree) bloom at the same time.

For those who aren’t familiar with Ume: Ume looks similar to Sakura except that it has a strong fragrant scent.  It was THE flower in the ancient 8^th century taken up in poems and artworks. 

In other areas of Japan, Ume, the symbolic mid/late winter flower, blooms 2 months before Sakura does.  However, the “Ume Front” moves up north much slower than “Sakura Front*”.  Consequently, Sakura catches up and the 2 flowers meet in Hokkaido in late April to early May🌸🌸

Hokkaido Shrine in Sapporo, our capital city, is one of the best spots in Hokkaido where you can see both flowers bloom side by side.  In Abashiri, which is further north than Sapporo, Ume blooms slightly later than Sakura.

Hope this can be a little hint for you to enjoy your activities in Hokkaido in your future travel!

*Sakura Front is the line graph forecasting the blooming dates of Sakura in various parts of Japan. 

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