Prunus sargentii in Japan?

Hi,
I saw a Prunus sargentii (North Japanese hill cherry) in my town today and was wondering if this cherry can be found somewhere in Japan?

Yes, it is one of the most common, native cherry trees in Japan, known as Oyamazakura. It seems to grow mainly in eastern and northern Japan in the wild, but it is occasionally also seen in parks and gardens, especially in Hokkaido where it is known as Ezoyamazakura. It is not common in western and southern Japan except for some mountainous areas of Shikoku and the Chugoku Region.

I suppose these must be of that sort you mentioned (Oyamazakura). These are taken in Otaru (pictures 1-5) and Toyako Onsen (Main street, pictures 6-8) around late May / early June 2013. According to the hostel staff in Osaka (where we flew to Sapporo from) the sakura had been delayed in Sapporo. In Sapporo itself we did not see but Otaru and Toyako Onsen had. Is this delay common these days?

http://i60.tinypic.com/j5ktav.jpg

http://i57.tinypic.com/257f868.jpg

http://i59.tinypic.com/2u46irm.jpg

http://i59.tinypic.com/b96dyb.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/vytdle.jpg

http://i58.tinypic.com/fdcajb.jpg

http://i60.tinypic.com/13z8qow.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/21443tl.jpg

No, the trees on the photos are not Oyamazakura. Oyamazakura have only 5 petals per blossom. And they bloom much earlier. I cannot identify the variety definitely, although they look quite like Kanzan.

In Sapporo itself we did not see but Otaru and Toyako Onsen had. Is this delay common these days?

The timing of the blossoms differs from year to year. Sometimes they are fast, sometimes they are late. The timing also differs from place to place depending on climate and altitude. For example, Toyako is at a higher elevation.