Cherry Blossoms Begin Blooming in Japan’s Kofu, Gifu, Kochi Cities

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:39 JST, March 18, 2026

The Japan Meteorological Agency announced on Monday that somei-yoshino cherry trees have begun to bloom in the cities of Kofu, Gifu, and Kochi.

These are the first official bloom declarations of the season at any observation point nationwide. The blossoms appeared nine days earlier than average in Kofu and Gifu, and six days earlier in Kochi.

In Kofu, five to six blossoms were confirmed at about 3 p.m. on the day on a benchmark tree located on the grounds of the Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory. This marks the earliest blooming in the city since records began in 1953.