Cherry blossoms bloom early in Helsinki’s Roihuvuori park ahead of hanami festival

Cherry trees in Helsinki’s Roihuvuori park have begun blooming nearly two weeks before the annual hanami festival, according to a report by Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The park’s roughly 200 cherry trees are now in early bloom, with peak flowering expected around Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 12. The traditional hanami celebration—a Japanese cherry blossom viewing festival—will take place on Ascension Day, May 9.

Otto-Ville Mikkelä, executive director of the Roihuvuori Association, said the blossoms should last until the festival. “They’ll hold up well. It’s good that we’ve had rain and cool temperatures,” he told Yle.

On Tuesday, 80 colorful carp-shaped windsocks were raised above the park’s pond, a Japanese tradition symbolizing strength and perseverance. In Japan, Children’s Day celebrations include flying carp windsocks, representing the belief that a carp overcoming obstacles transforms into a dragon.

Visitors, including Leena and Anssi Kupari from nearby Herttoniemi, gathered in the park to enjoy the blossoms. The couple, celebrating Leena’s birthday, described the park as a vital green space for local residents. “Even on weekdays, people come here to walk. It’s an essential breath of fresh air,” Leena Kupari said.

The park, approaching its 20th anniversary, originated from a proposal by Norio Tomida, a Japanese businessman living in Finland, who suggested gifting cherry trees to Helsinki for hanami celebrations. The first trees were planted in 2007, with new additions each year.

However, improper pruning in winter 2023 may still affect future blooms. Large branches were cut at the wrong time, risking bacterial infections and potential tree loss. Mikkelä noted that damage from the pruning error may not be fully apparent for another five years.