A cherry blossom in Japan

In the Buddhist Yasukuni Shrine, Tokyo, the first cherry blossoms began to bloom, marking the beginning of spring in Japan.

Despite the fact that the first cherry blossoms in Japan usually start to blossom on the island of Shikoku a bit earlier than in Tokyo (this year's Sakura bloomed in Shikoku on 18 March), a day at the Yasukuni Shrine revealed the first buds of cherry blossoms, is considered the beginning of Hanami - admiring the cherry blossoms across the country.

As reported by the Japan meteorological office, which is already about 60 years, each year watching the cherry blossoms in the country and predicts the seasons khans, in 2014, Sakura bloom in Japan for 4 days before the expected date. The cause of this phenomenon is called abnormally warm weather in February.

In each district of Japan there is a certain seasonality of flowering Japanese cherry trees.

This year the full opening of the cherry blossoms in Tokyo is expected on 1-2 April. In Kyoto and Osaka early flowering expect to March 27, and the full disclosure — to 3 APR. But the Northern regions of Japan is likely to delight appreciative audiences of the early khans until the first half of may.