Sakura on Google Maps

Sometimes Google Maps falls short when it comes to telling me how to use public transit to get from point A to point B. Other times I get frustrated because it doesn’t support biking directions in Taipei or offline maps in Morocco. Despite these annoyances, it still manages to surprise and delight me: I discovered a new (?) feature that displays cherry blossom season status and viewing locations.

And now you know

To access this feature, you have to zoom in enough to see the cherry blossom spot markers in the first place, and you have to pull up the lists of spots once a little hint appears at the bottom of the screen. The details screen is a little lacking in details, but I’ll give them credit for having to translate the data they’re using from Walker+. These rough edges make you feel like you just uncovered an Easter egg.

Barely passable details page

I can’t wait to use this handy reference when I’m in Japan for cherry blossom season: I arrive April 4 and leave on May 2. Let’s go hanami!

Written on March 31, 2017