Tokyo's dazzling cherry blossom season officially begins

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 (JMA) 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. To make it official, a duo of suit-clad officials...