Visitors crowd the streets along cherry blossom-lined streams and railway tracks in Jinhae, Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, as the nation’s largest spring flower festival draws large numbers from its first weekend.
The annual Jinhae Gunhangje Festival opened Friday, returning to a festive atmosphere after last year’s subdued event, when most programs were canceled due to large wildfires in the Yeongnam region.
Cherry blossoms near Yeojwacheon began blooming Tuesday, attracting early visitors even before the opening. By Saturday morning, tourists had already filled major viewing spots, including Yeojwacheon and Gyeonghwa Station, where tour buses lined up and families and couples posed for photos beneath pale pink blossoms.
Bloom conditions have been favorable, helped by mild daytime temperatures hovering around 20 degrees Celsius in recent days.
Further south, cherry blossoms have also begun to bloom on Jeju Island, signaling the true arrival of spring. Festivals taking place this weekend at popular spots in Jeju City, include Jeonnong-ro and the king cherry blossom road in Jangjeon-ri, Aewol-eup.
Among 13 observation points nationwide, cherry blossoms have also been recorded in Gyeongju’s Bomun Tourist Complex, Busan’s Namcheon-dong and Daegu’s E-World.
yoohong@heraldcorp.com
