Japan’s Kumagaya in Saitama Pref. Sees Cherry Blossoms Open 4 Days Earlier than Last Year

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:11 JST, March 24, 2026

Cherry blossoms began to bloom in Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture, the Kumagaya Local Meteorological Observatory announced on Monday.

While last year’s blooming occurred on March 27, which is standard, this year’s was four days earlier. Five to six blossoms were found on the sample Yoshino cherry tree at Kumagaya sakura zutsumi, a well-known cherry blossom viewing spot by the Arakawa River.

The Kumagaya sakura festival will be held at Sakura-zutsumi from Wednesday, with around 500 Yoshino cherry trees dotted along the river. The trees will be illuminated from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily until April 7, allowing visitors to enjoy the cherry blossoms at night.

According to the meteorological observatory, with warm weather expected to continue, the blossoms are likely to reach their peak within March.