The first cherry blossoms this year in Japan have been observed in Okinawa Prefecture.

Weather officials say they confirmed that flowers were in bloom on a benchmark cherry tree of the hikanzakura variety in a park in the prefectural capital of Naha on Sunday.

The officials say daytime temperatures in Naha reached 22.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday -- the average for late March.

Cherry blossoms of the hikanzakura variety were confirmed 11 days earlier than average and eight days earlier than last year.

On Monday, a man jogging from adjacent Urazoe City said: "I was able to feel the spring during my first run this year and it felt like good luck. The flowers are still small, but I am looking forward to seeing them grow."

A woman and her mother visiting from Hong Kong came to the park after hearing about the early blossoms and said they were happy to see the flowers on the final day of their stay in Okinawa.

Hikanzakura will be in full bloom in Okinawa between late January and early February.