Cherry Blossoms of Kyoto: A Seasonal Portfolio

Each year, cherry trees, the symbol of springtime in Japan, burst into a riotous blaze of floral glory. The peak cherry-viewing season, however, is extremely short — from late March through early April — and the exquisite blossoms scatter without trace in little over a week. Despite, or perhaps because of, the fleeting nature of the spectacle, cherry blossoms have occupied a special place in the hearts of the Japanese since earliest times.

Cherry blossoms are seen as an ideal model for …