Cherry trees have begun to bloom in Kochi in western Japan and Kumamoto in the southwest, marking the opening of the 2025 season. It is the second consecutive year that Kochi has recorded the country’s earliest bloom of Somei Yoshino, the most common cherry variety, the weather agency said Sunday.
At around 2:30 p.m., the specimen tree in Sannomaru, the largest terrace at Kochi Castle, was confirmed to have more than five blossoms — the standard for declaring an official flowering, the agency said, adding full blooms are expected in about a week.
Meanwhile in Kumamoto, the declaration came three days earlier than last year but a day later than average.
On Sunday, high pressure over western and eastern Japan, including Tokyo, brought widespread sunshine, with many areas experiencing temperatures of 25 C or higher, a level defined by the agency as a summer day.
A sample “Somei Yoshino” cherry tree comes into bloom at Kochi Castle in the western Japan city of Kochi on March 23, 2025, marking the country’s earliest bloom together with the southwestern Japan city of Kumamoto. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
A sample “Somei Yoshino” cherry tree comes into bloom in the southwestern Japan city of Kumamoto on March 23, 2025, marking the country’s earliest bloom together with the western Japan city of Kochi. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
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AloJapan.com