Photo/Illutration Visitors crowd a street lined with blooming cherry trees in Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture, on April 1, 2023, the day an evacuation order was lifted for part of the town. (Sayuri Ide)

Japan’s highly anticipated cherry blossom season is just a few weeks away, with Tokyo expected to be the first city to witness the iconic pink flowers open on March 21, according to the latest forecast.

Fukuoka, Kochi and Yokohama are predicted to follow closely behind on March 22, Weather News Inc. announced on Feb. 26.

The company anticipates that the sakura in western and eastern Japan will reach full bloom about a week after first opening, while northern Japan is expected to experience peak bloom in roughly five days.

The company’s forecast is based on data collected from residents across the country, who sent in photos of Somei-Yoshino and Ezo-Yamazakura cherry blossom buds.

This year, harsh cold spells have caused a slight delay in the growth of sakura flower buds compared to those last year.

However, with warmer temperatures expected in March, the blooming period will likely be the same as in an average year for most of western and eastern Japan.

Some areas in the Kanto region, which includes Tokyo, may even experience slightly earlier blooms. The cherry blossom season is expected to reach the northernmost region of Hokkaido by late April.

The Japan Weather Association also released a similar forecast on Feb. 26, predicting that Tokyo will see the first blossoms opening on March 22, followed by Fukuoka on March 23 and Nagoya on March 25.

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