At Zentsuji Temple in Zentsuji City, Kagawa Prefecture, early-blooming cherry blossoms called Nehanzakura are about to reach their peak. Nehan is a translation of "Nirvana," a word that means the death of Buddha. The cherry blossoms are said to take their name from the fact that they bloom close to February 15 on the lunar calendar (around March 24 today), which is the day Buddha died. They have a stronger floral scent and bloom earlier than most of Japan's cherry varieties.