Japan's Cherry Blossom Season Begins as First Blooms Appear in Tokyo
Cherry trees are sensitive to temperature changes and the timing of their blooming can provide valuable data for climate change studies.
Photographer: Philip Fong/AFP/Getty Images
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TOKYO (AP) — Japan 's official cherry blossom spotters on Monday confirmed the first blooming of the country's favorite flower, declaring the official start of the festive season in the Japanese capital.
An official from the Japan Meteorological Agency carefully examined the specimen tree of Somei Yoshino variety at Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine and announced that more than five blossoms — the minimum required for the announcement — were flowering on it.