Cherry blossom season kicks off in Tokyo after warm weekend
Tokyo's cherry blossom season kicked off Monday, five days earlier than last year, as the Meteorological Agency declared a cherry tree at Yasukuni Shrine has bloomed.
The Somei-Yoshino variety, known for its pale pink blossoms, serves as the official indicator for the agency's announcement. Data is gathered from 58 preselected trees nationwide, with Tokyo's declaration hinging on a single specimen at the shrine in Chiyoda Ward.
At approximately 2 p.m. Monday, the agency announced the famous tree was officially in bloom.
The agency designates a tree as having blossomed once five or six flowers have opened on its branches. Full bloom is declared when about 80% of the tree's flowers have opened.
Warm weather over the last week is believed to have spurred the blooming, according to the Japan Weather Association. Peak viewing time is predicted to be in about a week — potentially sooner if the warm conditions persist.
On Sunday, the agency declared Somei-Yoshino trees in Kochi and Kumamoto prefectures had also started blooming.
Kochi matched last year's date, while Kumamoto's blooms came three days earlier. Compared with average years, both cities bloomed just one day later than usual.
People take photos of cherry blossoms at Yasukuni Shrine on Monday. The Meteorological Agency uses the Somei-Yoshino variety, known for its pale pink blossoms, as its official indicator of sakura season. |
JIJI
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Times
15 hours ago
- Japan Times
Rainy season officially underway across most of country
The Meteorological Agency announced Tuesday that the Kanto-Koshin and Hokuriku regions have 'likely entered the rainy season,' marking the beginning of sustained wet weather across most of the country. The declaration follows Monday's announcement for the Tokai, Kinki, and Chugoku regions. The northern Kyushu and Shikoku regions entered the rainy season on Sunday while the season ended in Okinawa the same day, the agency said. Southern Kyushu's rainy season began unusually early, on May 16. The seasonal rain front is forecast to linger over Honshu, bringing repeated rounds of rainfall to both western and eastern Japan. It is expected to remain especially active through Wednesday, with heavy rain likely in areas including Kanto-Koshin and Hokuriku. Western Japan faces a particularly high risk of torrential downpours. While the front may temporarily weaken after Wednesday, forecasters expect it to strengthen again around Saturday, coinciding with the likely start of the rainy season in the Tohoku region. On Tuesday morning, northern Kyushu saw especially intense rain, prompting the Meteorological Agency to warn of a potential linear rainband forming later in the day. In the 24 hours through 6 a.m. Wednesday, up to 180 millimeters of rain is forecast in northern Kyushu, 150 mm in the Kinki region, and 120 mm across Chugoku and southern Kyushu. Between 6 a.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday, up to 60 mm of rain is expected in northern Kyushu. With the seasonal rains now in full swing, authorities are urging residents to remain on alert for landslides, river overflows, and flooding in low-lying areas such as underpasses. Officials recommend preparing emergency supplies, confirming multiple evacuation routes that avoid flood-prone zones, and clearing gutters and drains of debris to reduce risk before heavy rainfall begins. Information from Jiji added
NHK
a day ago
- NHK
Northern Kyushu braces for downpours caused by bands of rainclouds
Japan's weather authorities are urging people in the northern part of the Kyushu region, southwestern Japan, to brace for torrential downpours. They say bands of heavy rainclouds may form over the area through Tuesday evening. The Meteorological Agency says that warm, moist air is moving toward a seasonal rain front located over northern Kyushu, making atmospheric conditions unstable over the western and eastern parts of Japan. Heavy rain pounded southern Kyushu on Monday as bands of rainclouds formed over Kagoshima Prefecture. The city of Ibusuki had 345.5 millimeters of rain, which was the most since record-taking began in 1976. The agency says the rain front will likely remain stationary near Kyushu through Wednesday. Bands of heavy rainclouds may form over the prefectures of Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Oita and Kumamoto through Tuesday evening. Risks of disasters could rise rapidly. In the 24 hours through Wednesday morning, up to 180 millimeters of rain could fall in northern Kyushu, 150 millimeters in the Kinki region, and 120 millimeters in both southern Kyushu and the Chugoku region. Weather officials are calling on people to stay on high alert for landslides, floods in low-lying areas and swollen rivers, as well as lightning strikes, gusty winds, and tornadoes.
NHK
a day ago
- NHK
Heavy rain pounds Kagoshima in southwestern Japan
Japanese weather officials are warning of mudslides and flooding due to heavy rain in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima. The Meteorological Agency says risks of life-threatening disasters are rising rapidly and is calling on residents to stay safe. The agency said on Monday clouds were developing over Kagoshima as warm and moist air flowed toward a seasonal rain front over a wide area. The officials issued an alert shortly after violent rainfall of 65 millimeters was observed in the southern part of the prefecture during a one-hour period to 7 p.m. on Monday. The rain front is expected to move northward and remain in western and eastern Japan through Wednesday, unleashing large amounts of rain on Kagoshima and other parts of the island of Kyushu. Weather officials forecast up to 200 millimeters of rain in northern Kyushu, 180 millimeters in southern Kyushu and the Kinki region, and 100 millimeters in the Chugoku region in the 24 hours through Tuesday evening. They are also calling on people to be alert for lightning strikes and violent gusts.
