Tokyo. Japan's cherry blossom season officially began Monday as the first blooms appeared in Tokyo, marking the start of the city's festive tradition.

A representative from the Japan Meteorological Agency examined a Somei Yoshino specimen tree at Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine and confirmed that at least five blossoms—meeting the threshold for official recognition—had opened.

The timing aligns with the historical average and is five days ahead of last year's first bloom, according to the JMA.

Known as "sakura," cherry blossoms are cherished across Japan and typically reach full bloom from late March to early April, coinciding with the start of the academic and business year. Many people celebrate the season by strolling or gathering beneath the trees for picnics.

Sakura have played a significant role in Japanese culture for centuries, frequently appearing in poetry and literature. Their fleeting beauty is often associated with themes of life, death, and renewal.

Tokyo, experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures of around 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit), welcomed its first blooms just a day after the southwestern city of Kochi reported the country’s earliest sakura blossoms on Sunday.

The JMA monitors more than 50 benchmark cherry trees nationwide, tracking the flowers’ progress from the first buds to full bloom, a cycle that lasts about two weeks. Tokyo’s blossoms are expected to peak in roughly 10 days.

Because cherry trees are highly responsive to temperature shifts, their bloom patterns offer valuable insights into climate change. Recent years have seen Japan’s sakura season arriving earlier than average, raising concerns about the potential effects of global warming.