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Sakura Beyond the Crowds: Lesser-known Cities Shine in Cherry Blossom Season 2025

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Lesser-known Japanese cities bloom as sakura spotters seek out less crowdsChina and Korea are gaining interest as alternative cherry blossom destinationsTranquil ryokans emerge as favoured accommodation for a quieter sakura experience

SINGAPORE, Feb. 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — As cherry blossoms begin to bloom as March approaches, travellers seeking a less-crowded sakura spotting experience are flocking to lesser-known cities in Japan to get their flower fix. While the Japanese cherry blossom season remains a top draw, this year, bookings for off-the-beaten-path and alternative locations beyond Japan are seeing significant growth, reflecting the rising demand for more peaceful and unique experiences in the heart of spring.

Japan’s Lesser-Known Sakura Spots Are Seeing a Surge in Demand

The “big three” cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto continue to be favourites, with Trip.com Group revealing triple-digit booking growth year-on-year during the sakura season. Of popular cities, Sendai, Kanazawa and Aomori also reflected the most year-on-year growth during the season.

Here’s a list of when cherry blossoms will bloom in chronological order, according to the Japan Meteorological Corporation’s forecast:

Interestingly, more travellers are seeking out lesser-known destinations for a quieter cherry blossom experience.

Toyohashi has seen a staggering 2300% YoY growth, drawing visitors to attractions like Mukaiyama Greenery Park’s Plum Tree Orchard and Yoshida Castle in Toyohashi Park. Coastal Itoshima (1500% YoY) is emerging as a hidden gem, home to scenic sakura spots such as Kafuri Park, which boasts 500 cherry trees and panoramic views of Funakoshi Bay and Mt. Kaya. Meanwhile, Yakushima (900% YoY) offers a truly special experience—cherry blossom viewing within a UNESCO-listed ancient forest.

Top Cities Searched for Sakura Season & Key Visitor Trends

Search patterns highlight the diverse range of traveller preferences for Japan’s iconic “hanami” (flower viewing parties). Major urban hubs like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Yokohama dominate searches for “cherry blossom” and “sakura” related searches, indicating travellers are still keen on popular city itineraries with cherry blossom spotting as one of the highlights. Meanwhile, lesser-known locations such as Ureshino, Kagoshima, and Yuzawa have also made it to the top ten list.

Searches in different languages indicate varied traveller origins; for example, English and Mandarin speakers drive Tokyo’s demand, while Korean interest is strong for Nago.

Overall, travel flows to Japan during sakura season (besides domestic flows) hail from the Asia Pacific region, with Hong Kong SAR, Korea, Taiwan region, Thailand and Singapore being the top source markets in terms of booking volume. Outside of Asia, travellers from the US (138.70% YoY growth), UK (137.11%) and Australia (156.54%) are also fast growing. Millennials comprise the bulk of travellers, comprising almost half of the booking volume.

Emerging International Cherry Blossom Destinations

While Japan remains a cherry blossom travel hub, more international travellers are seeking alternative locations to experience the floral spectacle. Across Southeast Asia and China, hidden gems are emerging with breathtaking displays that rival Japan’s parks. Cherry blossoms in Korea are also fast gaining attention.

Some top alternative Cherry Blossom destinations for 2025 include:

Alishan, Taiwan region – A stunning mountain landscape where cherry blossoms bloom in the early spring.Wuhan & Beijing, Mainland China – Famous cherry blossom parks like East Lake (Wuhan) and Yuyuantan Park (Beijing) are emerging as must-visit locations.Jinhae, South Korea – The site of the famous Cherry Blossom Festival, where blossoms blanket the entire city.

Among the most-searched destinations outside Japan are Wuxi and Wuhan in Mainland China, Seoul and Gyeongju in South Korea, as well as Nantou and Chiayi in Taiwan region. In South Korea, Gyeongju has seen a remarkable 211.48% surge in bookings this season, while Taiwan region’s Alishan Scenic Area in Chiayi County has experienced a 171.01% year-on-year increase, drawing visitors to its mountain blooms from mid-March to mid-April.

Similarly, bookings to Wuhan, Mainland China, have risen by 155.87%, with travellers flocking to East Lake and Wuhan University for their stunning cherry blossoms. Notably, ‘Wuhan cherry blossoms’ ranks among the top five search queries from international visitors, highlighting its growing appeal with more than 100 spots for cherry blossom viewing.

The Wellness and Alternative Accommodation Trend During Sakura Season

As the demand for off-the-beaten-path experiences grows, so does the rise in alternative accommodations and wellness tourism. Bookings for onsen ryokan and boutique hotels in lesser-known cherry blossom locations have surged, as visitors opt for serene, culturally immersive stays that offer breathtaking views away from the crowds.

In particular, scenic regions such as Mt. Fuji, Hakone, Takayama, and Shirakawa-go are seeing this rise in demand.

Luxury and boutique accommodations with private onsens, seasonal kaiseki cuisine, and mountainous scenery are particularly popular this year. Traditional stays like Mt. Fuji View Onsen Ooike Hotel, hot spring hotel Setsugetsuka in Hakone near the blossom-filled Hakone Gora Park, and traditional inn Onyado Yuinosho in Shirakawa-go are attracting visitors looking for an authentic Japanese experience paired with springtime beauty.

As for popular cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, accommodation preferences lean close to parks and rivers. According to Trip.Best* data, one of the most booked hotels is the luxurious The Tokyo Edition, Ginza, close to Hibiya Park, a peaceful cherry blossom spot. Similarly, Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo is close to Chidori-ga-fuchi, a picturesque 700-meter promenade along the Imperial Palace moat, famous for cherry blossoms.

In Kyoto, Trip.Best’s top-ranked Kamo Residences by Reflections is located near the Kamogawa River, offering stunning riverside views. Another top option is Dusit Thani Kyoto located near both Maruyama Park and the Philosopher’s Path—two of Kyoto’s prettiest sakura spots.

*Trip.Best is an AI-curated travel list on Trip.com that helps global travellers find the best experiences, including flights, hotels, attractions, restaurants, nightlife, and shows. It highlights the top 1% of products based on an algorithm that analyses user reviews and other data.

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SOURCE Trip.com Group

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Finloop Launches “RWA CONNECT 2026” to Build a Global Open-Source RWA Ecosystem

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HONG KONG, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At the “Connecting the World: Hong Kong RWA Infrastructure Ecosystem Seminar and RWA CONNECT 2026 Launch” held in Hong Kong, Finloop Finance Technology Holding Limited (“Finloop”) announced the official launch of a global open ecosystem community “RWA CONNECT 2026”. At the event, industry leaders from around the world engaged in in-depth discussions with topics such as Hong Kong stablecoins, RWA (real-world assets), and compliant innovation. Finloop took the lead in announcing its open-source ecosystem initiative, and presented a major commitment to a RWA technology service platform, marking that new issuance through RWA tokenization has officially entered the “Thousand-US Dollar Era”.

RWA CONNECT Core Philosophy: Open Source, Co-Creation, and Think-Tank Orientation

The event was jointly organized by Finloop, Fosun Wealth Holdings, FinChain, and ME Group. It brought together numerous elites from government, academia, finance, Web3, and media sectors. During the event, Mr. Cai Hua, CEO of Finloop, announced that “RWA CONNECT 2026” has officially kicked off. From the day onward, for any new issuance project adopting FinRWA Platform (FRP) 3.0 as a one-stop RWA system foundation, the technology system cost can be reduced to as low as US$3,000. This means that tokenization services, which were once expensive and difficult to access, have now transformed into transparent and professional offerings.

Mr. Cai Hua pointed out that Finloop is actively leveraging Hong Kong’s unique position as a “super connector” to launch RWA CONNECT. The initiative aims to address the “pain points” of information asymmetry across the entire RWA lifecycle — issuance, listing, and distribution — while building a “triple bridge” connecting Hong Kong and global markets, capital and real-world assets, as well as Web2 and Web3. He also unveiled Finloop’s three major ecological openness commitments:

Disclosure of compliant issuance processes and frameworks to promote industry-wide standardization and transparency;Transparency of technology platform costs, making them verifiable and predictable;Unified promotion of onboarded project assets to the global exchanges and compliant financial institutions connected by Finloop, while open-sourcing core solutions to ecosystem partners.

“Hong Kong’s RWA shall go global, connect globally, and integrate into the international system to achieve true long-term value,” Mr. Cai Hua emphasized. “The core philosophy of RWA CONNECT is open source, co-creation, and think-tank orientation. By opening our solutions, service processes, and standard mechanisms, we aim to build this community into a shared industry think tank. At the same time, we will fully respect and protect the proprietary technologies and business confidentiality of all partner institutions. In the future, RWA CONNECT will continue to invite high-quality, compliant RWA infrastructure providers, project parties, and institutions from around the world to become ecosystem partners, and jointly help Hong Kong’s Web3.0 industry reach global heights.”

FRP 3.0: The Hardcore Technology Powering the “Thousand-US Dollar Era”

The core technology enabling this cost breakthrough is the FinRWA Platform (FRP) 3.0, developed by Finloop. With compliance at its core, collaboration as its engine, and transparency as its safeguard, the platform provides a complete end-to-end closed loop for RWA products — from issuance and token minting & burning, to listing and on-chain circulation. It supports multi-party collaboration across the full tokenization lifecycle, including issuers, custodians, and token agents. Compared to the previous version 2.0, FRP 3.0 introduces new FinGo features for the C-end (retail customers) by empowering traditional securities firms and enabling their customers subscribe to RWA products with a single click. It also enhances FinMix mid-office capabilities, enabling centralized order scheduling and real-time status synchronization, delivering seamless interoperability from fiat currency to RWA products and from off-chain to on-chain.

Top Global Lineup Gathers to Build the Foundation of the RWA Ecosystem

This event gathered top forces from policy, academia, legal, and industry sectors. Mr. Bryan Peng, Executive Director of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) of the Hong Kong SAR Government, Professor Lin Chen, Vice-President of The University of Hong Kong, and Mr. David Wang, Partner at Jun He Law Offices, were invited to attend and deliver keynote speeches from the perspectives of Hong Kong fintech policy & competitive advantages, academic insights, and compliance frameworks, laying a solid foundation for the development of the RWA ecosystem.

In the announcement segment, OmniRealm, in collaboration with Frost & Sullivan, officially launched Hong Kong’s first RWA rating platform, marking a key step forward in industry standardization. Three cross-sector roundtables were also held on the themes of “Dual-Currency Drive • Digital-Real Integration: Outlook on Hong Kong’s Digital Hong Kong Dollar and Stablecoin Ecosystem”, “Regulatory and Risk Control Synergy: Building a Trustworthy RWA Foundation”, and “Harnessing Collective RWA Ecosystem Strength: Establishing Hong Kong as a New Global Digital Asset Hub”. Distinguished participants included representatives from leading domestic and international institutions such as China Asset Management (Hong Kong), HashKey, Anchorpoint, OASES, Greaterbay Financier Association, SlowMist, Conflux, Beosin, Hivemind Capital, Vobile Group, Ava Labs, KuCoin, and exSat. They engaged in in-depth discussions on cutting-edge topics, demonstrating the growing global influence and collaborative momentum within the RWA sector.

RWA CONNECT 2026 officially invites all participants to co-create the future of RWA in Hong Kong!

https://www.finlooprwa.com/rwa-connect

About Finloop Finance Technology Holding Limited

Finloop Finance Technology Holding Limited, along with its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “Finloop”), is an AI-driven global one-stop Web5 (Web2+Web3) wealth technology platform located in Hong Kong. Finloop offers comprehensive wealth management products and technology solutions to various financial institutions. Its offerings include cash management, public funds and private funds, structured products, bonds, insurance, and virtual assets. As a fintech leader in Asia during the Web3 wave, Finloop has focused on bridging physical and digital assets, developing a one-stop RWA technology, issuance and distribution platform to pioneer new growth pathways in the wealth management industry. For more information, visit www.finloop.hk and www.finlooprwa.com .

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SOURCE Finloop Finance Technology Holding Limited

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Sinch publishes its 2025 Annual Report

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STOCKHOLM, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sinch AB (publ) today published its Annual Report including Sustainability Report for 2025, outlining a year characterized by stable development, improved profitability and continued progress against its strategic priorities.

During 2025, Sinch made progress across several strategic focus areas, including enterprise expansion, self-serve offerings, RCS and email, and partner ecosystems. The company also continued to invest in AI-enabled capabilities to improve efficiency, security and customer experience.

Comment from Laurinda Pang, CEO of Sinch 

“2025 was a year of profound strength for Sinch, marked by record-high profitability and continued organic gross profit growth across all regions and product categories. Amidst a dynamic macroeconomic environment, these achievements, coupled with decisive strategic advancements, firmly establish our trajectory for the next phase of sustainable growth.”

“The way businesses communicate with their customers is undergoing a profound transformation, moving from static notifications to dynamic, AI-powered conversational engagement. This shift allows intelligent systems to understand intent, respond in real-time and automate complex interactions across messaging, voice and email. However, this evolution introduces new complexities: AI needs secure, compliant and reliable communication pathways that navigate fraud risks and global regulations.”

“Sinch has a strong foundation built over years of innovation and deep commitment to providing our customers with best-in-class communication solutions. Our focus remains on accelerating organic growth while maintaining profitability and strong cash conversion, in line with our mission to connect every business with every customer, everywhere in the world.”

Sinch remains committed to sustainability as a key driver of long-term value, focusing on being a trusted partner, reducing the climate footprint of our services and fostering an inclusive and engaging workplace. In 2025, Sinch reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 16 percent compared to the previous year, marking important progress toward its Science Based Targets (SBTi).

The full Annual Report is available at https://investors.sinch.com/

For more information, please contact:

Mia Nordlander
Head of Investor Relations & Sustainability
Mobile: +46 73 511 53 95
E-mail: mia.nordlander@sinch.com

Fredrik Hallstan
Head of Corporate Communications
Mobile: +46 761 15 38 30
E-mail: fredrik.hallstan@sinch.com

This information is information that Sinch AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the Swedish Securities Market Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 07:30 CEST on April 23, 2026.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/sinch-ab/r/sinch-publishes-its-2025-annual-report,c4338347

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SOURCE Sinch AB

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Fisher & Paykel Unveils Nature–Ritual at EuroCucina 2026, Elevating Everyday Routines into Timeless Rituals

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MILAN, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fisher & Paykel, the luxury appliance brand from Aotearoa New Zealand and part of Haier Group global portfolio, has unveiled Nature—Ritual at EuroCucina in Milan.

The 450m² immersive installation introduces the brand’s State of the Art Collection within a sculptural environment inspired by elemental landscapes of New Zealand. At its heart is a simple idea: thoughtful design can elevate routines into meaningful rituals.

Throughout Nature—Ritual, appliances are presented not as standalone objects, but as part of an architecture of living – expressing Fisher & Paykel’s approach to life-centred luxury, where design expression, product intelligence and performance come together to elevate life in the home.

Nature—Ritual also introduces the evolution of Fisher & Paykel’s Minimal Style – a refined expression of minimalism in black or grey glass, defined by flush surfaces, very slight perimeter gaps around appliances, and carefully resolved details. Presented across cooking, fabric care and the wider architectural language of the installation, it reflects the brand’s commitment to supporting architects and designers seeking to create the most resolved and carefully considered spaces.

Daniel Witten-Hannah, Chief Executive Officer of Fisher & Paykel, says the exhibition reflects the company’s point of origin, point of view and ambition on Milan’s global stage.

“Nature—Ritual expresses our belief that the best design is connected to place, shaped by human need and resolved with clarity. “

“Through seamless integration, product intelligence and beautifully resolved materials, it reflects our belief that products engineered for life reduce friction, engage the senses and elevate everyday routines into rituals in the home. “

Creative direction for Nature—Ritual and all sculptural elements was led by Dean Poole of Alt Group, with exhibition design by Calvi Brambilla and Partners in Milan.

Conceived as an oasis of calm within the intensity of EuroCucina, the installation brings together monolithic forms, seamlessly integrated appliances and a layered sensory environment wrapped in a forest-like cloak.

Poole describes Nature—Ritual as an expression of Fisher & Paykel’s worldview.

“It distils the qualities of untouched forest and a deep understanding of life in the home into a warm, tactile minimalism, expressed through just two materials.”

“It is not simply an exhibition of appliances, it’s an exploration of life-centred design that shows how nature, elemental materials and human behaviour come together to give greater meaning to the way we live,” Poole says.

From the exterior, Nature—Ritual presents as a subtly textured monolithic form. Through carefully framed apertures, visitors catch first glimpses of a forest-wrapped interior.

Inside, four scenarios unfold, each crafted from tōtara – a timber indigenous to New Zealand – and volcanic basalt. Bespoke ceramic elements by artist Aaron Scythe, alongside birdsong, scent, light and a high-resolution back-lit forest curtain, create a deeply immersive environment.

Throughout, appliances from Fisher & Paykel’s State of the Art Collection are integrated into four scenarios and five product sculptures as sculptural, high-performance tools for living.

Four scenarios:

Tea Experience

At the threshold, visitors are welcomed with tea — a universal gesture of hospitality. Kawakawa tea, associated with wellbeing, is gently steeped on a monumental slab of induction-heated stone and served in handmade ceramic vessels beside a product sculpture rising four metres to the ceiling.

Product highlight: Fisher & Paykel’s Red Dot Award ‘Best of the Best’ Series 11 60cm Minimal Style ovens presented within carved tōtara surrounds.

The Kitchen as Monolith

Presents the kitchen as a singular architectural presence, with carved tōtara surfaces and basalt forms framing seamlessly integrated food care and wine care solutions. A modular induction cooktop fits flush with the basalt surface, and DishDrawer™ Dishwashers with 20mm stone fronts present the kitchen as a unified design composition rather than a collection of parts.

Product highlight: The Milan debut of Fisher & Paykel’s Series 11 30″ Minimal Style oven with steam assist.

Wine Experience

Shaped by curved and carved tōtara forms, the Wine Experience illustrates the potential of architectural cellaring and tasting within the home. Seamlessly integrated Column Wine Cabinets with precise temperature control and tasting modes heighten the experience of preservation and service.

Product highlight: 61cm Series 11 Integrated Column Wine Cabinet, the building block of the architectural wine cellar.

Fabric Care Experience

The Milan debut of Fisher & Paykel’s new minimalist fabric care ecosystem represents a step change in garment care. Designed as an extension of the luxury wardrobe, fibre-specific treatments, steam care and intelligent sensing technologies preserve the condition of cherished garments. A garment commission by fashion designer Claudia Li completes the installation.

Product highlight: The fashion wardrobe’s ultimate accessory, the Series 11 Minimal Style Fabric Care Cabinet is designed with flush glass surfaces and refined surfaces, seamlessly integrating into the home while bringing an elevated architectural aesthetic to fabric care spaces.

Throughout Nature—Ritual, the State of the Art Collection showcases Fisher & Paykel’s approach to seamless integration, modular planning and Mastery of Temperature.

Each appliance is built on advanced product platforms that combine sensing technology with deep insights from food and fibre science to precisely control the mechanical systems that shape performance and results.

As the premium brand within Haier Group’s global home appliances portfolio, Fisher & Paykel’s strong presence reflects the group’s broader commitment to premium lifestyle and human-centered living experiences. This vision is further extended through Haier’s own presence at Milan Design Week, where a six-zone immersive experience blends design, adaptive technology, and smart ecosystems, placing visitors at the center of connected living.

Within this exhibition space, a dedicated Partner Area invites visitors into an immersive, multi-sensory environment. Through interactive activation inspired by Haier’s collaborations with top-tier football clubs – Liverpool Football Club and Paris Saint-Germain – the space brings to life a shared pursuit of excellence, performance, and innovation, while conveying a premium, champion-inspired lifestyle experience.

Since establishing its presence in Europe in the 1990s, Haier has continuously elevated its premium lifestyle offerings and now serves more than 45 markets across the region. Committed to pioneering superior living experiences through cutting-edge design and intelligent ecosystems, Haier remains dedicated to shaping the future of high-end connected living for consumers worldwide.

For more information:
Visit the official websites: Haier | Fisher & Paykel

Discover Fisher & Paykel’s latest collection at the Nature—Ritual exhibition:
EuroCucina, Hall 4P, Stand D34 at Salone del Mobile.Milano.

Experience Haier’s innovative solutions at:
Spazio Bergognone 26, SUPERSTUDIO MAXI and EuroCucina, Arrex Stand (“Technology by Haier”).

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