Cherry blossoms are blooming earlier and earlier in Tokyo due to warmer winters

The trend has been observed in the capital over the last nine years, forecasters say

Due to weather patterns, the trees flower at different times across the country (Getty Images)

Tokyo’s cherry blossom trees are expected to begin blooming three days earlier than average due to warmer temperatures, continuing a trend that has been observed over the last nine years.

The iconic trees in the prefectures of Kochi and Fukuoka  are forecasted to begin flowering at the same time as those in Tokyo – 23 March – making them the joint first in the country, according to predictions by weather forecasters at the Japan Meteorological Corporation.

The earlier flowering patterns observed are related to warmer winter temperatures. Although higher temperatures in the autumn months delayed the end of dormancy for the trees, the milder winter allowed them to grow faster, speeding up the flowering process.

The company’s forecast covers the most common type of cherry trees found in Japan, the Somei-Yoshino variety. They are also expect to bloom early in Hiroshima, Nagano and Kyoto among other areas.

Due to weather patterns, the trees flower at different times across the country. In colder northern Japan, the cherry trees flower much later, with the blossoms expected to reach peak bloom in the prefecture of Hokkaido in early May. 

As the trees come into full bloom, people traditionally enjoy picnics under the cherry trees, in a ritual called hanami that translates as “flower viewing”.

Cherry blossoms also flower across the world, in cities including Washington, DC, where scientists have observed earlier blooming times due to climate change.

“Long-term trends in both Washington, DC and Japan reveal that cherry blossoms are emerging at increasingly earlier times,” Mike Litterst, a spokesperson for the National Park Service said of last year’s early bloom