The delicate blossoms of the cherry tree might be synonymous with the onset of spring in Japan — except this year they’re also blooming in autumn, a weather forecasting company said on Wednesday.
Experts told local media that the rare late blooms could be the result of this year’s unusual weather, including a particularly active typhoon season.
Weathernews, a meteorological firm, said more than 300 people across Japan had reported that cherry blossoms were blooming in their neighbourhood. A series of unusually warm days after typhoons could also have confused the plants into flowering, said tree specialist Hiroyuki Wada. “This has happened in the past, but I don’t remember seeing something of this scale,” he said.
