Photo/Illutration Visitors walk under cherry blossoms in full bloom in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, on April 16. (Tetsuro Takehana)

HIROSAKI, Aomori Prefecture--Cherry blossoms are in full bloom earlier than usual this year in Hirosaki Park here, which is well-known nationwide for its trees.

The Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival began on April 15--four days earlier than last year after Somei-Yoshino cherry trees in the park bloomed early thanks to the warm weather.

“We hope many people will come and enjoy the festival,” said a city official in charge of the park.

Around 1,700 Somei-Yoshino trees in the park started blooming on April 7, the earliest on record. They were in full bloom about two weeks earlier than usual.

Families and couples enjoyed eating and drinking under cherry blossoms for the first time in four years as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on picnics were lifted.

“The vibrancy of the park gradually returned to pre-pandemic levels,” the city official said.

Visitors viewed and took pictures of Japan’s best-known spring flower in the park on April 15.

About 2,600 cherry trees of 50 varieties, mostly Somei-Yoshino, are planted in the park, according to the Hirosaki city government.

Alcoholic beverages were allowed for the first time in four years.

It is still prohibited to eat and drink while walking, but visitors can have picnics under the cherry blossom trees, except in the Honmaru, Kitano-Kuruwa and a part of the Ninomaru areas of the park.

A 52-year-old company employee from Hirakawa in the prefecture visited with his family. He sipped a can of beer while eating “oden” hotpot he had bought at a food stall.

“I feel like things are finally back to normal and that’s amazing,” he said with a smile.

A 42-year-old company employee from Aomori who had come with his family said, “We came to see sakura every year, but we couldn’t bring ourselves to eat and drink until last year because of the pandemic.

“This year, for the first time, I can give my 2-year-old daughter an enjoyable experience of having a picnic under cherry blossom trees.”

There are 127 food stalls in the park this year, or about 70 percent of the number before the pandemic, according to a city official. It is a significant increase from the 79 stalls last year, the official added.

The main festival will begin on April 21 and is scheduled to last until May 5.

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