Kirk here with another photographic harbinger of spring. For the most part, February is the season of plum, not cherry blossoms, but this type, Kawazuzakura (河津桜; Kawazu cherry tree) blooms early. I took this photo in part of Ezuko. The tree itself was in the garden of a private residence but the blossoms were very accessible to passers-by.
Kawazu is a town in Shizuoka that is know for these early blooming trees – hence the name. The tree I saw today isn’t originally from Kumamoto; like me and many readers of this page, it’s a transplant. Proof that not all transplants should be regarded as invasive species! ;)