Hideaki Tanaka, an expert on sakura—Japanese for cherry blossoms—is trying to popularise other strains of the tree to curb infections and help with better urban planning
Japan's famed cherry blossom season blankets the country in the delicate white flowers of the prized and popular "somei-yoshino" tree, delighting residents and visitors alike. But some want change.
The season produces a nationwide frenzy, as forecasters compete to declare when full bloom will arrive, and Japanese unfurl picnic blankets for sometimes raucous flower-viewing parties—at least in pre-pandemic times.