GPS helps to pinpoint first sakura blossoms with mobile phones

Owners of KDDI au phones with a built-in GPS feature now can access DuoSnap website to view or to send pictures of first cherry tree blossoms in Japan.

Every year the blooming season of the cherry tree is celebrated in Japan with millions of Japanese going out to view the intensity and beauty of blossoms and to enjoy a picnic, called hanami party in Japanese, under the blooming trees. However, the blooming time differs from year to year depending on the weather. And usually the mass media covers the first blossoms of cherry tree throughout the country as the blooming starts in the southern parts of Japan and spreads further to the north. But now, cellphone users can be the first to notify their compatriots about the beginning of sakura blooming. All they need to do is to snap a picture of the local blossoms and email it along with comments and embedded GPS data to DuoSnap website. Later, people can access the website from a cellphone or PC and check the areas where the blooming has actually started by viewing the sakura photos uploaded by other users.