San Diego Zoo CHERRY BLOSSOM The Best Animals & Wildlife HD High Definition

Sakura (Japanese kanji : 桜 or 櫻; katakana: サクラ; hiragana: さくら) is the Japanese name for cherry trees, and their blossoms. In English, the word "sakura" is equivalent to the Japanese flowering cherry,[1] and their blossoms are commonly called cherry blossoms. Cherry fruit (known in Japanese as sakuranbo) comes from another species of tree. Contents [show] * 1 Natural history * 2 Flower viewing * 3 Symbolism * 4 Varieties * 5 Cherry blossom in other countries o 5.1 Philippines o 5.2 Canada o 5.3 United States o 5.4 Germany * 6 Notes * 7 See also * 8 External links [edit] Natural history Sakura is indigenous to many Asian states including: Japan, China, India, and Korea. Japan has a wide variety of sakura; well over 200 cultivars can be found there.[2] [edit] Flower viewing Main article: Hanami During the Heian Period (7941191), the Japanese nobility sought to emulate many practices from China,[citation needed] including the social phenomenon of flower viewing (hanami: 花見), where the imperial households, poets, singers, and other aristocrats would gather and celebrate under the blossoms. In Japan, cherry trees were planted and cultivated for their beauty, for the adornment of the grounds of the nobility of Kyoto, at least as early as 794.[3] In China, the ume "plum" tree (actually a species of apricot) was held in highest regard, but by the middle of the ninth century, the sakura had replaced the plum as the favored species in Japan.[citation needed] Painting of Mount Fuji and sakura. Every year the Japanese Meteorological Agency and the public track the sakura zensen (cherry-blossom front) as it moves northward up the archipelago with the approach of warmer weather via nightly forecasts following the weather segment of news programs. The blossoming begins in Okinawa in January and typically reaches Kyoto and Tokyo at the end of March or the beginning of April. It proceeds into areas at the higher altitudes and northward, arriving in Hokkaidō a few weeks later. Japanese pay close attention to these forecasts and turn out in large numbers at parks, shrines, and temples with family and friends to hold flower-viewing parties. Hanami festivals celebrate the beauty of the sakura and for many are a chance to relax and enjoy the beautiful view. The custom of hanami dates back many centuries in Japan: the eighth-century chronicle Nihon Shoki (日本書紀) records hanami festivals being held as early as the third century CE. Most Japanese schools and public buildings have sakura trees outside of them. Since the fiscal and school year both begin in April, in many parts of Honshū, the first day of work or school coincides with the cherry blossom season. [edit] Symbolism A 100 yen coin depicting Cherry Blossom Flowering Cherry Tree Whereas in China the cherry blossom symbolizes feminine beauty, the feminine principle, or love in the language of herbs, in Japan the cherry blossoms are believed to exemplify the transient nature of life, because of their short blooming times. Cherry blossoms also symbolize clouds due to their nature of blooming en masse, besides being an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life,[4] an aspect of Japanese cultural tradition that is often associated with Buddhistic influence,[5] and which is embodied in the concept of mono no aware.[6] The association of the Sakura with mono no aware dates back to 18th-century scholar Motoori Norinaga.[6] The transience of the blossoms, the extreme beauty and quick death, has often been associated with mortality;[4] for this reason, Sakura are richly symbolic, and have been utilized often in Japanese art, manga, anime, and film, as well as at musical performances for ambient effect. The band Kagrra, which is associated with the visual kei movement, is an example of this latter phenomenon. There is at least one popular folk song, originally meant for the shakuhachi (bamboo flute), titled "Sakura", and several pop songs. The flower is also represented on all manner of consumer goods in Japan, including kimono, stationery, and dishware. Sakura is an omen of good fortune and is also an emblem of love, affection and represents spring. Cherry blossoms are an enduring metaphor for the fleeting nature of life, and as such are frequently depicted in art.[citation needed] At Himeji Castle