Night blossoms

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:04 JST, April 10, 2022

GERO, Gifu — Two giant cherry blossom trees, said to be over 400 years old, are reflected in the water of a rice paddy in Gero, Gifu Prefecture.

The trees are 25 and 30 meters high, respectively, and have been designated by the prefecture as natural treasures. They are known as Nawashiro-zakura, or seed bed cherry blossoms, as local farmers used to wait for them to bloom before starting to prepare paddies for rice seedlings.

The trees are lit up every evening from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. while in bloom. The illumination is tentatively scheduled to run through Wednesday.