for the first time in years
Expresses that something is happening after a gap of several years. Often used with a sense of surprise or nostalgia.
I returned to my hometown for the first time in years.
Snow accumulated for the first time in years.
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling.
Alternate kanji spelling using 振り for ぶり; less common but acceptable.
Combination of 何年 (how many years) + ぶり (after an interval) + か (question marker), literally 'after how many years?'. Used as a set phrase meaning 'for the first time in years'.