Another species harmed by climate change: Japanese poets
The seasonal markers that all haikus must contain are out of whack
“HOW MANY, many things/they call to mind/these cherry blossoms!” the poet Basho once wrote of Japan’s favourite flower. The blossoms have long provoked reflections on beauty, transience and the unceasing rhythms of the natural world. This year, their annual appearance has many thinking about how those rhythms are changing. The cherry trees in Tokyo began flowering on March 14th, tying the record for the earliest start since the Japan Meteorological Agency began monitoring in 1953. In Kyoto the trees reached full bloom on March 26th, the earliest date in 1,200 years of records. Scientists believe climate change is to blame.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “As the seasons defy norms/”
Asia April 10th 2021
- India is recording more cases of covid-19 than any other country
- Bhutan vaccinated almost all adults against covid-19 in a week
- China tries to nick another speck in the sea from the Philippines
- Another species harmed by climate change: Japanese poets
- Thailand’s democracy protests are dwindling
- Pakistan’s generals are ever more involved in running the country
- Asia’s air bridges and travel bubbles will expand only slowly
From the April 10th 2021 edition
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