Spring is in the air..well, in Japan at least.
By the looks of Prospect Park Tuesday morning, it appears winter still lingers on the east coast. But according to the calender, spring officially begins on Wednesday–which also marks the beginning of the National Cherry Blossom festival in Washington D.C. that lasts until April 14. The festival doesn’t only happen in D.C.–cities nationwide partake in the festival as a way of saying goodbye to the cold weather and hello to the warm weather. The cherry blossom festival is a way for the nation to celebrate spring and the enduring friendship between the United States and Japan.
Snow lines the path through Brooklyn, New York’s Prospect Park on March 19, 2013. (Photo by Traci Oshiro/MSNBC)
But, just just a hop, skip and long jump over a continent and ocean it appears as if Japan has an early start to spring. The signs of the first blossoms only mean that the Japanese can start their infamous spring, Hanami picnic parties early this year! Yata (‘yea!’ in Japanese) for them!
People admire cherry blossom at Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo on March 16, 2013. The Japan Meteorological Agency declared on the day that Somei Yoshino cherry flowers were blossoming in Tokyo, 10 days earlier than average and 15 days earlier than last year. Agency staff confirmed that more than four flowers were blooming on an index tree designated by the agency at the shrine in the morning. The agency said the flowers should be in full bloom around next weekend. ( The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images )
