Witness of centuries: 160-year-old sakura blooms at Hachigata Castle

In the park of the famous Hachigata Castle, located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, an ancient 160-year-old sakura tree standing 18 meters tall has entered its blooming period.

This unique tree is named "Ujikuni-zakura" in honor of the medieval ruler Hojo Ujikuni.

According to TDH, citing the "Greater Asia" (Bolshaya Aziya) media source, the sakura blooming season in the Land of the Rising Sun began much earlier than usual this year. Experts attribute this to the unusually warm weather persisting in the region. For instance, in February, the average air temperature in Nagoya was 2.4°C higher than the seasonal norm.