TOKYO (AP) – Official spotters of Japanese cherry blossoms on Monday confirmed the first bloom of the country’s favourite flowers that have declared the official start of the festive season in the Japanese capital.
Officials from the Japanese Meteorological Agency have carefully examined the trees of Yoshino Yoshino variety specimens at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo and announced that at least five or more flowers needed for the presentation have been blooming.
According to the JMA, the opening coincided with the average year, five days earlier than last year.
Cherry blossoms, or “Sakura,” are Japan’s favorite flowers, usually peaking in late March to early April. Many Japanese people enjoy walking under the trees and having picnics.
Sakura has had a profound influence on Japanese culture for centuries, and is regularly used in poetry and literature, and its vulnerability is considered a symbol of life, death and rebirth.
The announcement in Tokyo is enjoying warmer temperatures than the 19 Celsius (Fahrenheit 66) era, and comes a day after the country’s first cherry blossoms were confirmed on Sunday in a city in the southwestern city of Seikojima.
The JMA tracks over 50 “benchmark” cherry trees across the country. Trees usually bloom about two weeks each year, from the first bud to all flowers. They are expected to peak in about 10 days.
Cherry trees are sensitive to temperature changes, and the timing of their blooms can provide valuable data for climate change research.
In recent years, cherry blossom season in Japan has tended to arrive earlier than average, prompting concerns about the potential impact of climate change.
