Cherry blossom front advances north at record pace; Tokyo blooms nine days earlier than usual.

At Ueno Park in Tokyo, Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms reached full bloom on the 22nd. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, this year's full bloom arrived nine days earlier than the average and four days earlier than last year, marking the earliest record since statistics began in 1953.

Experts point to this winter's record warmth as the backdrop. The average temperature in March in central Tokyo exceeded the usual level by 2.1 degrees Celsius, a factor believed to have accelerated blooming.

A company employee visiting Ueno Park, Kenichi Tanaka, 34, said, "I look forward to hanami every year, but I've never seen it this early. I'm worried it might not last until the weekend."

Meanwhile, expectations are rising in the tourism industry. An official at a Tokyo hotel said, "Reservations from overseas visitors are well above the same period last year." The Japan Meteorological Agency says that with temperatures expected to rise, the bloom is likely to continue through this weekend.