Crowds gathered on Friday in Tokyo to enjoy Japan’s famed cherry blossoms, which are blooming later than expected in the capital because of cold weather.

Cherry blossoms, known as “sakura” in Japanese, are the country’s favourite flower, and people often have sakura viewing parties beneath the falling petals. There are picnics and sake drinking.

The trees are usually at peak bloom in late March to early April, the same time the country begins a new school and business year.