The Trees

Three thousand cherry blossom trees were given as a gift to Washington, D.C., in 1912 from Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki, honoring friendship between the two countries. The trees were planted on the Tidal Basin of the Potomac River and are enjoyed by over a million visitors to D.C. each year, just as they are in their home country of Japan. This year's centennial celebrations of the National Cherry Blossom Festival include a parade, a Japanese cultural street festival, art exhibits, and a Kennedy Center concert.

Aboat under cherry blossoms at Sakuranomiya Park on April 9 in Osaka, Japan