first cherry blossoms of the year
Refers to the earliest cherry blossoms to bloom in a given year, often carrying a sense of seasonal anticipation.
This year's first cherry blossoms came earlier than usual.
News of the first cherry blossoms has started to arrive.
初雪 means the first snow of the year; 初桜 follows the same pattern of 初 (first) + seasonal phenomenon.
Standard modern spelling.
Outdated kanji form using 櫻; rarely seen outside historical or literary contexts.
Compound of 初 (hatsu, 'first') and 桜 (sakura, 'cherry blossom'), with rendaku voicing of さくら to ざくら.