In 1912, The mayor of Tokyo gave 3,000 cherry trees to the city of Washington, D.C. in a diplomatic gesture of goodwill. The U.S. government then returned the favor in 1915, giving Japan a gift of flowering dogwood trees. For only a few weeks each spring, the nation's capital blushes white and pink with flowering cherry blossom trees.
The exchange is commemorated each year with a two-week Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C., attracting more than a million tourists. The festival continues until April 12 this year. From sunrise to sundown, NPR video producer John Poole gathered footage of this transient, vernal beauty. Check out the video accompanied by a traditional Japanese folk song "Sakura" (or "flowering cherry tree"). Make sure your surroundings are padded, as you may slip into deep relaxation.
"Sakura"
Arranged by Kozaburo Y. Hirai
performed by Kyoko Okamoto
from "Sakura: A Musical Celebration of the Cherry Blossoms" / Smithsonian
Folkways Recordings
Used with permission.
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