Sakura officially bloom in Tokyo on same day as last year, earliest on record

A Somei-Yoshino sakura is in bloom at Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on Sunday afternoon. THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN

TOKYO — The Somei-Yoshino sakura are officially in bloom in Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced Sunday.

Last year, the cherry blossoms also were declared to have bloomed on March 14, the earliest on record and 12 days earlier than the average year.

Full bloom is expected in about a week.

Agency officials checked a representative Somei-Yoshino sakura tree at Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, around 2 p.m. on Sunday. The declaration was made when it was confirmed that at least five flowers were in bloom.

People look at cherry blossoms on the representative sakura tree in Yasukuni Shrine on Sunday. THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN