Cherry blossom season is expected to arrive earlier than usual this year, with blooms forecast to begin in Tokyo on March 19 and many regions across the country expected to see flowering up to a week ahead of historical averages.
According to a forecast released Thursday by Japan Meteorological Corp. (JMC), cherry blossoms are expected to begin flowering first in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, on March 17 before those in the Kanto-Koshin, Shikoku and Kyushu regions start blooming.
Major cities are expected to see the following flowering and full-bloom dates:
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