Photo/Illutration A breathtaking view of illuminated cherry blossoms in Hirosaki Park in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, on the evening of April 21 (Shigetaka Kodama)

HIROSAKI, Aomori Prefecture--Cherry blossoms have reached full bloom in Hirosaki Park here, which is well-known nationwide as a sakura viewing spot.

Visitors watched and took pictures of the breathtaking sights of Japan’s best-known spring flower in the park on April 21. They followed the rules to walk straight and not stop or congregate to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

There are around 2,600 cherry blossom trees of 52 species in the park, according to the Hirosaki city government.

The Hirosaki cherry blossom festival will be held in the park from April 23 to May 5, during which cherry blossoms will be illuminated in the evening every day until 8:30 p.m.

Couples and families were seen on April 21 photographing the so-called “Cherry blossom heart” in the park.

The branches of two cherry blossom trees in full bloom were spotted overlapping each other, creating a heart shape against the backdrop of the sky.

A city official discovered it five years ago, and it is now a popular topic on social media.

The city government doesn’t publicize it, but officials have placed a heart-shaped board on a stump near the “Cherry blossom heart” so visitors can easily locate it.

The city government also expects spectators to be able to view “Hana ikada" (Flower raft) in a moat surrounding the park from around April 23, where fallen cherry blossoms on the water look like a raft.

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