“the significance of the cherry blossom tree in japanese culture goes back hundreds of years.

in japan, the cherry blossom represents the fragility and the beauty of life.

it’s a reminder that life is almost overwhelmingly beautiful but that is also tragically short.”

-homaro cantu

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image credit: peak bloom, 1920’s. this lantern slide of the cherry blossoms along the tidal basin in washington, d.c., usa, is from smithsonian gardens’ archives of american gardens. the cherry trees arrived in 1912, when japan gave them to the city as a gift of friendship.