The cherry blossoms of Wooster Square looked like they’d reached their peak this morning. My anecdotal feeling was that they were at least one week late this year compared to the past several years.

I know it’s cliche, but I’m drawn to the Kyoto cherry blossom peak date data set, which goes back to the year 812. This year, in Kyoto, the peak date was April 4th.

During the year that I lived in Tokyo, the cherry trees in Ueno Park reached their peak in early April. A week later, I went there on the crowded silent subway, but by that time, the sakura were mostly gone, a greying carpet strewn across the concrete sidewalks.