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The Flowering Declaration

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Cherry Blossom viewing Japan

The event of enjoying the blooming of the cherry blossoms is called 'Hanami' in Japanese. It is a popular event and you can find the parks and sightseeing spots full of people on the days leading up to and including the full blossom days.

Weekends which have good weather combined with fully blooming trees lead to extreme number of people going out to enjoy picnics, barbecues and drinking under the decorative branches.

In this blog by Japanese teacher, Yanaka Izumi, she introduces the Flowering Declaration day topic. Please listen to Yanaka sensei read the blog and watch the video too to practice your Japanese listening.

開花宣言
The Flowering Declaration

yanaka

By YANAKA Izumi

sakura

3月21日に東京で桜の開花宣言発表されました。平年より5日ほど早く去年と同じ開花日だそうです。桜の開花日は標本木という木に5~6輪以上の花が咲いた最初の日になります。3月に入って暖かい日が続いたので平年より早くなったようです。しかし、開花宣言が発表された日は冬に戻ったような寒い日で、そのあとも寒い日が続いています。満開になるまで少し時間がかかるかもしれません。

今年の東京の開花日は全国で一番早かったそうです。でも、南にある沖縄のほうが早いのではないかと思いますよね。確かに沖縄にも桜はありますが、桜の種類が違います。開花宣言の対象となる桜は「ソメイヨシノ」という品種で沖縄では開花しないそうです。理由は「ソメイヨシノ」がある程度寒い期間を過ごしてからでないと開花しない品種だからだとか。沖縄は年中暖かいので「ソメイヨシノ」には向かないそうです。今年は暖冬影響で九州や関西のほうでも「ソメイヨシノ」の開花に必要な寒さが足りず、開花が遅れていると聞きました。桜の開花に寒さが必要だったとは。温暖化これ以上進まないことを望みます

このブログが掲載される頃には東京の桜も開花が進み、花見を楽しむ人々で町もにぎやかになっていることでしょう。満開になるのが今から待ち遠しいです。

To listen to this blog, please watch our Youtube video. 

開花宣言(かいかせんげん)

3月(がつ)21日(にち)に東京(とうきょう)で桜(さくら)の開花宣言(かいかせんげん)発表(はっぴょう)されました。平年(へいねん)より5日(いつか)ほど早(はや)く去年(きょねん)と同(おな)じ開花日(かいかび)だそうです。桜(さくら)の開花日(かいかび)は標本木(ひょうほんぼく)という木(き)に5~6輪(りん)以上(いじょう)の花(はな)が咲(さ)いた最初(さいしょ)の日(ひ)になります。3月(がつ)に入(はい)って暖(あたた)かい日(ひ)が続(つづ)いたので平年(へいねん)より早(はや)くなったようです。しかし、開花宣言(かいかせんげん)が発表(はっぴょう)された日(ひ)は冬(ふゆ)に戻(もど)ったような寒(さむ)い日(ひ)で、そのあとも寒(さむ)い日(ひ)が続(つづ)いています。満開(まんかい)になるまで少(すこ)し時間(じかん)がかかるかもしれません。

今年(ことし)の東京(とうきょう)の開花日(かいかび)は全国(ぜんこく)で一番(いちばん)早(はや)かったそうです。でも、南(みなみ)にある沖縄(おきなわ)のほうが早(はや)いのではないかと思(おも)いますよね。確(たし)かに沖縄(おきなわ)にも桜(さくら)はありますが、桜(さくら)の種類(しゅるい)が違(ちが)うそうです。開花宣言(かいかせんげん)の対象(たいしょう)となる桜(さくら)は「ソメイヨシノ」という品種(ひんしゅ)で沖縄(おきなわ)では開花(かいか)しないそうです。理由(りゆう)は「ソメイヨシノ」がある程度(ていど)寒(さむ)い期間(きかん)を過(す)ごしてからでないと開花(かいか)しない品種(ひんしゅ)だからだとか。沖縄(おきなわ)は年中(ねんじゅう)暖(あたた)かいので「ソメイヨシノ」には向(む)かないそうです。今年(ことし)は暖冬(だんとう)影響(えいきょう)で九州(きゅうしゅう)や関西(かんさい)のほうでも「ソメイヨシノ」の開花(かいか)に必要(ひつよう)な寒(さむ)さが足(た)りず、開花(かいか)が遅(おく)れていると聞(き)きました。桜(さくら)の開花(かいか)に寒(さむ)さが必要(ひつよう)だったとは。温暖化(おんだんか)これ以上(いじょう)進(すす)まないことを望(のぞ)みます

このブログが掲載(けいさい)される頃(ころ)には東京(とうきょう)の桜(さくら)も開花(かいか)が進(すす)み、花見(はなみ)を楽(たの)しむ人々(ひとびと)で町(まち)もにぎやかになっていることでしょう。満開(まんかい)になるのが今(いま)から待(ま)ち遠(どお)しいです。

The Flowering Declaration

On March 21st in Tokyo, they declared the start of the flowering of the cherry blossoms ( (Kaika sengen). It is the same date as last year but 5 days earlier that normal years. The flowering day for cherry blossoms is decided as the first day when 5 to 6 flowers have blossomed on the sample trees. Warm days have been continuing since March started, hence this is earlier than normal years. However, the day that they made the declaration about the flowering was so cold it felt as though winter had returned, and after that cold days continued. It is probably going to take a while before full bloom.

Apparently this year Tokyo's flowering day was the earliest in the whole country. But I thought to myself, wouldn't Okinawa in the south be even earlier? Certainly, Okinawa does have cherry blossoms but the species are different. The cherry blossom type that is the subject of the Flowering Declaration day is of the Somei Yoshino (Yoshino Cherry) variety and this variety does not bloom in Okinawa. The reason for this is that unless the Somei Yoshino trees have undergone a period with a certain level of cold, this variety does not bloom. Okinawa is warm all year round, so it is not suitable for the Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms. I heard that this year, due to the influence of the warm winter, the Somei Yoshino blossoms in also Kyushu and Kansai are late to bloom. Who would have thought that the cold was necessary for cherry blossoms flowering. I really hope that global warming does not advance any further than this.

When this blog is published, Tokyo's cherry blossoms will have progressed in their flowering and the town will be probably be lively with people enjoying the cherry blossom viewing. Full bloom seems like a long time coming now though.

開花(かいか) flowering; blooming

宣言(せんげん) declaration

発表(はっぴょう)する announce

平年(へいねん) a normal [an average] year

標本木(ひょうほんぼく) sample tree

満開(まんかい) full bloom

全国(ぜんこく) the whole country

種類(しゅるい) a kind; a type; a species

対象(たいしょう)となる be subject to

品種(ひんしゅ) variety

ある程度(ていど) a certain

年中(ねんじゅう) throughout the year

向(む)かない not suitable

暖冬(だんとう) warm winter

影響(えいきょう) influence

温暖化(おんだんか) global warming

これ以上(いじょう)  anymore

望(のぞ)む wish

掲載(けいさい)する put on the homepage

待(ま)ち遠(どお)しい be a long time in coming

yanaka

Hajimemashite ! My name is Izumi YANAKA.
Through my work as a System Engineer, I have had the experience of teaming up with foreign members of a team. After seeing the difficulties the team members went through with communication and cultural differences, I got to thinking, "If only there was something I could do to help !" Which was what led me to become a Japanese teacher.

How do you find studying Japanese ? Is it difficult ? Do you find it trying ? At the beginning, easy phrases will do, just think of what you want to say and give it a go. For example, let's talk about your favorite things. I like playing tennis, traveling, and gardening. What do you like to do ?

What's the best phrase to say in this situation ? Is this grammar usage correct ?

If you have questions like these on your mind, I want to answer them all one by one. And in this way, without even realizing it, your Japanese will come to improve.

Once you are able to speak, it gets to be fun. It's not difficult, and not trying at all ! I will help you widen your Japanese speaking world. Let's enjoy learning Japanese together.

Start 3 Trial FlexLessons for only $9 !

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