Japan fetes cherry blossoms

Joy of spring: People enjoying picnics under blooming cherry trees at Yoyogi park in Tokyo. — AFP

Tokyo: The crowds might be thinner and parties smaller, but warnings from officials over the coronavirus have done little to stop Japanese from celebrating as the country’s famed cherry trees explode into bloom.

Over a warm long weekend in Tokyo, people packed into traditional blossom hotspots, many not even wearing face masks, to admire the fluffy white and pink flowers hanging from delicate stems.