Spring officially arrived in Tokyo on Saturday, where the national meteorological agency announced that the cherry blossoms have begun to bloom, initiating a series of celebrations.
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Meteorological agency experts observing the cherry trees at Yasukuni Shrine determined that the first flowers appeared nine days earlier than usual. During the two-week blooming period, the arrival of spring is celebrated on the streets, in schools, and at shrines, marked by the pink and white colors of the cherry blossom.
“Mild temperatures at the end of February and the beginning of March accelerated the opening of flower buds,” said the head of the meteorological agency to reporters at Yasukuni Shrine, in the heart of the Japanese capital.
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The official arrival of spring in Tokyo is the topic of all Japanese media headlines, and meteorological agencies are competing in forecasts for other major cities in the country.
In Tokyo, the peak of blooming will be in a week, when numerous gatherings will take place in city parks, sometimes marked by drinking alcohol among family members, friends, and business associates.
