Cherry Blossoms in Japan’s Kochi Begin to Bloom, Seven Days Earlier than Last Year

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:49 JST, March 16, 2026

A variety of cherry blossoms has begun to bloom in Kochi, the Kochi regional meteorological observatory announced Monday.

The somei-yoshino blossoms began blooming six days earlier than average and seven days earlier than last year, marking the third consecutive year for the flowers to bloom the earliest in the nation.

The observatory confirmed that six flowers bloomed on a tree located at the Kochi Castle in Kochi. As temperatures are forecast to remain constant or above average, the blossoms are expected to reach full bloom in about a week.

The Gifu regional meteorological observatory also announced Monday that somei-yoshino bloomed in Gifu, nine days earlier than the average and last year.