The spring viewing season for the Ookan Cherry blossoms has arrived in downtown Naka Ward/Yokohama

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1203230003/

March 23, 2012

The Ookan Cherry blossoms add color to the town.

Spring is arriving in Naka Ward’s downtown.

The Ookan cherry blossom viewing season has arrived in Motohamacho, Naka Ward of Yokohama City. The light pink of the flowers adds color to the town.

The trees now are now giving off a true feeling of spring. At lunch time, office workers and passerby’s looked up towards them, yelling "They bloomed…they bloomed…they bloomed at last!" Many people were seen taking pictures with their cellphone cameras.

On the 22nd, the temperature exceeded Yokohama's yearly high temperature average for that day (a low of 32.72ºF to a high of 57.74 ºF, stated by the Yokohama Meteorological Observatory). "On the 23rd, the temperature will not increase after morning due to rainfall. On the 24th, there should be an above average temperature," said the observatory.

The ward's Kitanaka Street Ni Choume area is covered in a deep shade of pink, as the blooming season has also arrived for the Taiwan Cherry blossom.

Original text

オフィス街に春、中区で大寒桜が見ごろ/横浜

2012年3月23日

街に彩りを添えている大寒桜

オフィス街にも春の訪れ―。

横浜市中区元浜町にある大寒桜が見ごろを迎え、薄いピンク色の花が街に彩りを添えている。

昼休みの会社員など、道行く人たちも木を見上げて「咲いた、咲いた。やっと咲いたね！」と春を実感。携帯電話のカメラで写真を撮る姿が多く見られた。

22日の横浜の最高気温は平年より０・４度高い14・３度（横浜地方気象台調べ）。「23日は昼前から雨になり気温は上がりませんが、24日は平年より高くなるでしょう」と同気象台。

同区北仲通２丁目では濃いピンク色の緋寒（ひかん）桜も見ごろとなっている。