Well, looks like they got the forecast wrong.

Not the weather forecast though, the Cherry Blossom, uummmmm, “blooming forecast”.
I got thinking about it, and I suppose the nearest equivalent to it is when we have a White Christmas. So, we only have a Official White Christmas if snow falls on the Met. Office in London on Christmas Day. In Tokyo, the blossom opening is not Official until they have opened in the trees in Yasukuni Shrine.
So, for the previous two or three weeks, the Japanese Meteorological Agency was confidently reporting on the news that Blossoming does not start until 27th March (despite the fact we saw some Cherry Blossom in Ueno Park on Monday 21st……. but I digress).
Come the News on Sunday, all the reporters from the TV networks were filming the Met. Agency officials, only for them to announce that the opening is late!

Monday was rather wet, and today’s weather is not too great either so I’m guessing we still have no bloom.

Now what makes me chuckle is that the Cherry Blossom forecast bit at the end of the main weather forecast has now become rather vague and abrubt. Sort of like …..

….. with the weather getting cloudy at the Weekend. Now for the Cherry Blossom forecast. Umm, the Cherry Blossoms will open sometime this week.

Hmmmm, not so confident now are we!

This is one of the thing that’s fun about Japan. They have all these days where certainly seasonal events are predicted to happen…. then they seem so shocked when it’s a little bit off. We have the same with the first snow of the year, now the cherry blossom. I presume Rainy Season is meant to start on a specific day too!! :)
Maybe it’s because I’m British…. and so used to incorrect forecasts (“There will be no Storm tonight!!!” Copyright: Michael Fish) that I’m not suprised by all this.