Rare 'Kurochiku' Bamboo Flowers After 120 Years, First Since Meiji Era

The 'Kurochiku' bamboo, known to flower once every 120 years, has bloomed for the first time since Japan's Meiji era, becoming a topic of conversation. This rare event highlights its roughly 120-year cycle.

Fri May 08 2026

Mysterious Blooming of 120-Year Cycle 'Kurochiku'

The 'Kurochiku' bamboo, known to flower once every 120 years, has bloomed in Japan, drawing significant attention. Mr. Toyokazu Taniuchio discovered the flowers on his bamboo plant and identified them as 'Kurochiku' flowers through an online search. He expressed his surprise, stating, "I would love to hear from any botanists who are knowledgeable about this."

First Observation Since Meiji Era, Research Difficulties

Mr. Hiroto Kawai, Deputy Director of the Toyota City Nature Observation Forest, confirmed that the flowers were indeed bamboo flowers, specifically 'Kurochiku.' He explained that "the previous record was around 1908, and it is generally believed to have a cycle of approximately 120 years." This marks the first observed blooming since the Meiji 41st year, meaning very few people alive today would have witnessed it before. Neighbors expressed their astonishment, saying, "I've never seen anything like it," and "I'm glad I lived long enough to see such a rare sight."

However, Kawai added that due to the extremely long interval between blooms, research on 'Kurochiku' has been limited, and many mysteries remain unsolved. Since the next flowering will occur in another 120 years, research in this area is just beginning.

*Source: YouTube: ANNnewsCH (2026-05-08)*

Tags: #Kurochiku #Bamboo Flower #Rare Bloom #Japanese Nature #Botany