A specimen tree of Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms in bloom

 The Kyoto Local Meteorological Observatory announced on the 23rd that Somei‑Yoshino cherry blossoms have begun blooming in Kyoto City. It is the first bloom in the Kansai region this year, occurring three days earlier than average and four days earlier than last year. The blossoms are expected to reach full bloom in about a week.

On the morning of the 23rd, observatory staff confirmed that five or more blossoms—the standard for declaring bloom—had opened on the sample tree located inside Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Nakagyo Ward.

According to the observatory, the early bloom was likely caused by higher‑than‑normal temperatures from mid‑February to early March. Temperatures are expected to remain high over the next week, and flowering is expected to progress smoothly.