20 Of The Best Pictures Of This Year's Japanese Cherry Blossoms
The Japanese cherry blossom, known as the Sakura in Japanese, is the flower of a cherry tree that is cultivated for its decorative features rather than for cherries (it doesn't bear fruit). The overwhelming beauty of the cherry blossom bloom has been known and adored for ages. The blooming period is associated with Japanese traditions, culture, aesthetics, and is a bittersweet metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life itself.
The Japanese cherry blossom, known as the Sakura in Japanese, is the flower of a cherry tree that is cultivated for its decorative features rather than for cherries (it doesn't bear fruit). The overwhelming beauty of the cherry blossom bloom has been known and adored for ages. The blooming period is associated with Japanese traditions, culture, aesthetics, and is a bittersweet metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life itself.
The blooming cherry blossoms herald the beginning of the centuries-old Hanami festival – the traditional Japanese custom of picnicking under trees rich with flowering Sakura branches and enjoying this short but striking first breath of spring. The blossoming wave usually starts in Okinawa in January or February and progresses through all of Japan until April or May. The cherry blossom front (Sakura zensen) can be conveniently tracked every year using this calendar.
Here are 21 of the most beautiful photographs that captured this year’s blooming cherry blossoms throughout Japan.
Image credits: 紅襪熊
Image credits: Sue Hsu
Image credits: onotch
Image credits: Masato Mukoyama
Image credits: ta3mam
Image credits: Noisy Paradise
Image credits: Takeshi Tanaka
Image credits: Akio Iwanaga
Image credits: tomosang
Image credits: Yuga Kurita
Image credits: zhangning
Image credits: torne
Image credits: Hikaruno Mikoto
Image credits: Saori
Image credits: Batistini Gaston
Image credits: Haru Digital Photo
Image credits: Nobuhiro Suhara
Image credits: poojartiwari
Image credits: Danny Dungo
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