On March 1st, the Hirosaki City Park and Green Space Division (Shimoshirogane-cho, Hirosaki City), which manages Hirosaki Park, announced the forecast for the blooming of cherry blossoms in the park.

We check the condition of flower buds on standard trees in the northern part of the country and use a unique formula to calculate the amount. This is the first time this season that the department has announced its forecast, and it predicts that standard trees will bloom on April 16, six days earlier than normal. The outer moat will open on April 13th and the cherry blossom tunnel will open on April 17th. It is expected that the trees will be in full bloom on April 21st or 22nd.

Makiko Hashiba, member of Team Sakuramori, said, ``Because the witch hazel, which we use as a reference for flowering predictions, bloomed on February 20th, we announced the flowering predictions earlier than usual.It greatly affects the temperature from late March to early April. To achieve this goal, we will continue to monitor temperature trends and flower buds and announce flowering forecasts." The next flowering forecast will be announced on March 8th.

The cherry blossoms in Hirosaki Park are usually at their best during Golden Week, and the public is so interested in the cherry blossoms that they are often talked about in everyday conversation. A woman in her 50s living in Hirosaki said, ``I heard from an elderly farmer that this spring would be late.There were rumors that the flowers would bloom in late March or early April, but it turned out to be later than I expected.'' A man in his 30s said, ``It's getting earlier every year, so I think it's going to be earlier this year as well.''

This year, the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival will be held four days earlier than usual, from April 19th to May 5th.