Tickled pink - Typhoons trick Japan blossoms into blooming six months early

Cherry blossoms bloom in the autumn season at the site of Sendai Castle in Sendai, northern Japan, October 16, 2018, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Picture taken October 16, 2018. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) - Cherry blossoms across Japan have bloomed six months early after two powerful typhoons pummelled the country in September, stripping leaves, bringing a warm snap and turning the trees unseasonably pink.

"We get reports every year of cherry blossom blooming early, but those are confined to specific areas," Toru Koyama, a senior official with the Flower Association of Japan, told Reuters.