Where in Japan will the cherry blossoms bloom first in 2016? Fukuoka on March 18, Tokyo two days earlier

▲Cherry blossom blooming forecast from Japan's WeatherMap. (Photo / Provided by WeatherMap)

Reported by Cai Wenjun / Comprehensive report

When will the cherry blossoms bloom in Japan this year? According to predictions by Japan's WeatherMap, this year’s cherry blossom season will kick off in Fukuoka, with blooms expected as early as March 18. This will be followed by Nagoya, Tokyo, and Osaka, while Sapporo in Hokkaido is not expected to see blossoms until the end of April.

▲Cherry blossoms in downtown Fukuoka. (Illustration / Photo by Cai Wenjun)

WeatherMap pointed out that in most areas, the blossoms are expected to bloom earlier than usual. Fukuoka is predicted to see blooms on March 18, Nagoya around March 20, and Tokyo, which was originally expected to bloom on March 23, will bloom two days earlier on March 21. Osaka will also see an earlier bloom, starting on March 23.

The reason for the earlier blooming this year is largely related to the warm winter. WeatherMap stated that from the end of January through March, temperatures were mostly higher than average, which affected the blooming period. However, northern Japan was less affected by the warm winter.