Cherry blossoms draw crowds as they approach full bloom in Tokyo

Tokyo's meteorologists declared the start of the much-loved cherry blossom season in the Japanese capital on Thursday, as residents prepare to host outdoor picnics under dazzling floral displays. The cherry season for Tokyo starts when the official sample tree at Yasukuni Shrine opens at least five flowers.

"Today, the blooming of the Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms was observed," the Tokyo Regional Headquarters of the Japan Meteorological Agency said in an eagerly-awaited statement, referring to the most common cherry variety. Since early Thursday morning, local broadcasters had repeatedly shown dozens of open flowers on the tree.