See the world in vertical: Top photos by AP photojournalists

Feb. 4 - 10, 2026

AP mobile scroll: a selection of standout vertical images published by The Associated Press in the past week.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

FILE - President Donald Trump boards Marine One on the South Lawn before departing the White House in Washington, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

FILE - Buddhist monks who are participating in a Walk For Peace are escorted by Metropolitan Police Department officers as they walk along the C&O Canal and Potomac River on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

FILE - Italy's Daniel Grassl competes in the figure skating men's team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)

FILE - Revelers dressed as flamingos pose for photos during the "Cordao do Boitata" street pre-carnival party in Rio de Janeiro, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado, File)

FILE - A child stands in front of food aid supplied by the World Food Programme (WFP) ahead of distribution in Nalemkais Village, Turkana County, Kenya, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Ngugi, File)

FILE - Dancers perform Tarantella Napoletana for Ensemble Competition during the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Semi-Finals at Dominican University Performing Arts Center in River Forest, Ill., Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

FILE - Cats for adoption live in a shelter run by Diana Abadi, known as "the mother of cats," at her small pet food and plant shop in Hadath, in Beirut's suburbs, in Lebanon, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File)

FILE - Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves 10 Downing Street to attend the weekly Prime Ministers' Questions session in parliament in London, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)

FILE - Three men, one already running away, watch from a graveyard as an Israeli military strike hits a building in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi, File)

FILE - United States' Lindsey Vonn is airlifted away after a crash during an alpine ski women's downhill race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

FILE - Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents walk through a gas station in Minneapolis, Feb. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

FILE - A Chinese folk performance known as da shuhua, or molten iron fireworks, is made ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations in Beijing, China, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian, File)

FILE - Bad Bunny performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

TOKYO (AP) — Many of Tokyo's popular and iconic Somei Yoshino cherry blossom trees were planted during Japan's postwar advancement in the 1960s, and are now getting old and frail.

Some have fallen and many others require support, triggering safety concern as the Japanese celebrate the season of their favorite flower.

Two cherry blossom trees collapsed on Thursday, one at Kinuta Park in downtown Tokyo and the other at the Chidorigafuchi greenway. The one in Kinuta Park damaged a fence while the other tree almost fell into the Imperial Palace moat, though nobody was injured.

The tree in Kinuta Park was 18 meters (59 feet) tall and 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) in diameter. It was among the oldest, believed to be more than 60 years old, officials said. In March, another old cherry tree collapsed at the park, injuring a passerby.

Last year, 85 trees fell in Tokyo parks, injuring three people, and many were cherry trees, according to Masakazu Noguchi, a Tokyo metropolitan official in charge of public parks.

People gather under the trees during the season of hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, and the collapse of trees has alarmed officials in Tokyo, the birthplace of the cherry blossom variety.

Tokyo assembly member Yutaka Kazama expressed concern on social media last month that“cherry blossom trees with their roots partially exposed or obviously rotten seem dangerous," calling for firm safety measures but without quickly resorting to tree felling.

Aging and erosion by internal fungus growth are among the main causes for the deterioration of the cherry blossom trees.

A tree doctor, Hiroyuki Wada, said heavy tilting, flowering on lower trunks and mushrooms growing at the bottom are signs to look for in order to avoid risk-prone trees. Risks increase when tree trunks retain water after rain, he said.

“Many trees in our daily lives were planted soon after the war and are now 70-80 years old and getting weaker," he said, adding that they are affected by extreme heat in the summer and an extensive dry season.

“I hope people think about the climate change through what's happening to the cherry blossom trees, which is very symbolic,” he said.

Following the March incidents, officials conducted tree health checks at Tokyo's main parks ahead of the cherry blossom viewing season.

At the Kinuta Park, officials have conducted preliminary inspections of more than 800 cherry trees. They chopped down a number of trees and posted warning signs near some trees but the tree that fell Thursday was without caution signs.

“At the moment, our measures are mostly temporary, not fundamental steps such as replanting,” Noguchi said. “We call on visitors to use caution because we cannot say it’s safe even after inspection.”

At the Inokashira Park, one of Tokyo’s most popular viewing spots, dozens of aging cherry blossom trees have been felled in recent years as part of a long-term replanting plan. Some people lamented on social media the empty spaces around a pond that used to be seamlessly encircled by flowering pink blossoms.

Cherry blossom viewers say the news of falling cherry trees is worrisome, but they didn't want to miss the short-lived fluffy pink blossoms.

“I'm a bit worried, but I guess it's OK if we stay away from tree trunks,” said Lisa Suzuki.

Another visitor Akira Kamiyashiki said he came with his daughter despite the safety concerns because rain is expected over the weekend. “Seeing the keep-off signs, I now feel safe,” he said.

Cherry blossoms, or “sakura,” are Japan’s favorite flower and usually reach their peak in late March to early April, just as the country celebrates the start of a new school and business year. Many Japanese enjoy walking or picnicking under the trees.

A fallen cherry trees is seen at the Inokashira Park, one of Tokyo’s most popular viewing spots, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi)

People walk past an aging cherry blossom tree at the Inokashira Park, one of Tokyo’s most popular viewing spots, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi)

An aging cherry blossom tree is seen at the Inokashira Park, one of Tokyo’s most popular viewing spots, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Mari Yamaguchi)

People sit down for a picnic outside a cordoned-off area set up to inspect the health of cherry blossom trees at Kinuta Park in Tokyo, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Mayuko Ono)

People sit down for a picnic outside a cordoned-off area set up to inspect the health of cherry blossom trees at Kinuta Park in Tokyo, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Mayuko Ono)

A damaged cherry blossom tree is seen after a nearby tree fell on it, at Kinuta Park in Tokyo, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Mayuko Ono)