Cherry trees are in full bloom at Goryokaku Park in Hakodate, Hokkaido, on April 26. (The Asahi Shimbun)
As if they d been waiting for the holiday-studded Golden Week to start, the somei-yoshino cherry trees at Goryokaku Park in Hakodate, Hokkaido, are now in full bloom.
Blossoms were confirmed on the park s sample tree on April 20, the second earliest date on record for the trees to bloom.
The park is known as the stage of the Boshin War (1868-1869) fought between forces supporting the Tokugawa Shogunate and proponents of the Meiji Restoration, the centerpiece of which is the fort of Goryokaku. It s also one of Hokkaido s most scenic cherry blossom viewing spots.