Japan’s iconic cherry blossom season has officially commenced, with the first blooms appearing in Tokyo on Monday, AP News reports.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) confirmed the season’s arrival after observing at least five blossoms on a Somei Yoshino cherry tree at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine. This year’s blooming aligns with the historical average and arrives five days earlier than in 2023.
The sighting in Tokyo follows Sunday’s first bloom in Kochi, a southwestern city on Shikoku Island, where warmer temperatures traditionally trigger Japan’s earliest sakura. The JMA monitors over 50 designated trees nationwide, with blooms typically lasting two weeks from first bud to full petal fall. Peak flowering in Tokyo is expected within about 10 days.
Cherry blossoms hold profound cultural significance in Japan, symbolising the fleeting nature of life and renewal. Their arrival coincides with the start of the school and fiscal year in April, prompting nationwide hanami (flower-viewing) picnics beneath the pastel-hued canopies.
Recent decades have seen sakura blooming earlier than historical averages, a trend scientists link to rising temperatures. The JMA’s records show that Tokyo’s cherry blossoms have advanced by roughly 1.2 days per decade since the 1950s, with this year’s 19°C (66°F) highs in the capital underscoring the warming pattern.
The blossoms attract millions of domestic and international visitors, generating an estimated ¥1 trillion (£5.3 billion) in seasonal revenue.
