Japan’s cherished cherry blossom season officially kicked off in Tokyo on Monday, as the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) confirmed the first blooms of the Somei Yoshino variety at Yasukuni Shrine.

An agency official inspected the designated specimen tree and declared that more than five blossoms—meeting the threshold for the announcement—had unfurled, marking the start of the festive period in the capital.

This year’s blooming aligns with the historical average, arriving five days earlier than in 2024, the JMA noted. With Tokyo basking in warmer-than-usual temperatures around 19°C, the announcement follows Kochi’s confirmation of Japan’s first cherry blossoms on Sunday in Shikoku.

The delicate “sakura,” a cultural icon symbolizing life’s fleeting beauty, typically peak in late March to early April, coinciding with the nation’s new academic and business year. Celebrations often include picnics and strolls beneath the pink canopies.

The JMA monitors over 50 benchmark trees nationwide, tracking blooms that last about two weeks from bud to fall. Tokyo’s blossoms are expected to hit their peak in roughly 10 days. Deeply woven into Japanese poetry and literature for centuries, sakura reflect themes of transience and renewal.

However, their increasingly early arrivals in recent years—sometimes weeks ahead of past norms—have raised concerns about climate change’s impact, with temperature-sensitive trees offering critical data for researchers.

As Japan embraces this annual rite, the earlier blooms signal both festivity and a subtle shift in nature’s rhythm, blending tradition with modern environmental questions under Tokyo’s flowering skies.