The weather forecasting company Weathermap released its first forecast for the 2026 cherry blossoms.
In Tokyo, the opening is expected to be on March 22nd while full bloom will be on March 29th. This would follow a similar pattern from 2025 when the full bloom was declared on March 30th. Usually the peak viewing window would start 1-2 days before the full bloom and last for a duration of around 7-10 days.
The full version in English can be viewed from the below URL.
https://sakura.weathermap.jp/en.php
The next update will be provided February 5th and then every Thursday beyond that.
The initial forecast for 2025 turned out to have an error of only two days. However in some years, the accuracy can be much lower. In 2024, the initial forecast was for March 20 but a cold spell throughout the month of March knocked the schedule back at the last minute and the first bloom ended up being on March 29 with the full bloom not until April 4th.
The forecast is for the main Somei Yoshino variety. There are other types of sakura trees that bloom at varying times; for example the Kawazu-zakura variety will start blooming in late February and they can be seen in places like Yoyogi Park or the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace.