So distinctive and ingrained is sakura (櫻), or cherry blossom, to Japan, their ephemeral beauty have become a lesson in aesthetics and philosophy.
When the conditions are right, the trees erupt in vibrant and fragrant blossoms across the country. There is even a remarkably precise sakura calendar to track and predict when.
photo credits: 紅襪熊
photo credits: Masato Mukoyama
photo credits: tomosang
photo credits: Noisy Paradise
photo credits: Yuga Kurita
photo credits: Hikaruno Mikoto
photo credits: poojartiwari
photo credits: Haru Digital Photo