Japanese cherry blossom season

This week, tourists were mesmerized by Tokyo’s cherry trees at the peak of the annual blossom season, a time that traditionally symbolizes fresh beginnings but also the fleeting nature of life.

Crowds gathered at the city’s top viewing spots, capturing photos and enjoying picnics beneath the elegant dark branches adorned with delicate pink and white flowers, known as “sakura” in Japanese.

“Honestly, it feels pretty amazing to be here. It’s even better than we expected. And it only happens once in a while, for such a short period of time,” said Christian Sioting, a tourist from the Philippines, in an interview with AFP.

“It’s a fleeting experience, and we’re really happy to be here and witness it in full bloom.”

On March 30, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) officially announced that Tokyo’s most common and beloved cherry tree variety, the “somei yoshino,” had reached full bloom.

Although the 2025 blooming dates align with the average, the JMA notes that climate change and the urban heat-island effect are causing cherry blossoms to bloom approximately 1.2 days earlier every decade.