Japan's official cherry blossom spotters on Monday confirmed the first blooming of the country's favourite flower, declaring the official start of the festive season in the Japanese capital.

"Now we're just waiting on them to open," NPS said in a post on X. "Peak Bloom is next!"Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning. D.C.'s famed blossoms,

Cherry blossom trees around the world bloom between late March and early May. Japan's cherry blossoms attract millions of tourists each year. Cherry blossoms can also be found in the US, the UK, China,