Springtime in Washington DC

Washington, DC Cherry Blossoms

* Festival: March 20 – April 14, 2013 This year (2013) marks the 101st year anniversary of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC.
In 1912, Japan gave 3,020 cherry blossom trees to the United States as a gift to celebrate the two nations growing friendship. These trees replaced an earlier gift of 2,000 trees which were damaged and destroyed because of disease in 1910. These trees were planted around the shore line of the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC. In 1965, the gift was renewed with another 3,800 trees. The cherry blossom trees continue to be a popular tourist attraction when they reach full bloom in early spring.
In Japan, the flowering cherry tree or "Sakura," as it is called by the Japanese people, is one of the most exalted flowering plants. The beauty of the cherry blossom is a potent symbol equated with evanescence of human life and epitomizes the transformations Japanese Culture has undergone through the ages. The date when the Yoshino cherry blossoms reach peak bloom varies from year to year, depending on weather conditions.
For the past century, people from all over the world have gathered in Washington, DC to welcome the arrival of spring and to share the special season with each other. This year the National Cherry Blossom Festival will last five weeks to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of the cherry blossom trees in Washington, DC. The splendid cherry trees, the focal point of the Cherry Blossom Festival, are constant reminders of the strong and enduring friendship between the United States and Japan.
 
READ MORE : http://washington.org/topics/national-cherry-blossom-festival