A Global Rite of Spring

Ah, springtime in the nation’s capital.  I saw my first cherry blossom of the season near the Washington National Cathedral a couple weeks ago, and it immediately lifted my will-winter-never-end mood.  The blossoms are right on schedule here—peak period is expected to be April 1-4—but over in Tokyo, the much admired sakura are early for the fourth year in a row, prompting hand-wringing about the effects of global warming.  According to the Telegraph, Japan’s national “blossoming line”—the latitude at which the trees start to flower—has shifted 125 miles north over the last 40 years. Kind of alarming.

If you missed the window in Tokyo, I’d recommend a visit to Washington’s National Arboretum instead of the Tidal Basin (way too crowded) or a virtual viewing via this web cam.  Of course, there are plenty of pink wonderlands unfolding beyond the Beltway.  Check out the cherry blossom festivals in San Francisco, Philadelphia or Brooklyn.  And don’t forget the sake.

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