TOKYO, March 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Tokyo's meteorologists declared the startof the much-loved cherry blossom season in the Japanese capital on Thursday,as residents prepare to host outdoor picnics under dazzling floral displays. The cherry season for Tokyo starts when the official sample tree at YasukuniShrine opens at least five flowers. The early blooming came as Tokyo experienced warmer-than-usual weather sincemid-February, a weather agency official told AFP. The earliest recorded date for cherry blossom blooming in Tokyo is March 14,which occurred three times in 2020, 2021 and 2023, the JMA said. One spectator at Yasukuni Shrine, 30-year-old Taira Toru, a public official,said the start of the cherry season offered hope at a time of war.
