Sakura (cherry blossoms)

"Have you seen the Sakura in Fukushima yet?" For the last two weeks it's all my Japanese students have been talking about.  Japanese people wait all year for this very small season when the Sakura trees are in full bloom.  Radio and television stations (as well as newspapers) continually offer updated information as to when the Sakura trees will be in full bloom in each region of Japan. 

Sakura (cherry blossom) trees don't actually produce cherries.  Their flowers are incredibly beautiful, though.  And, while the Japanese will wait all year to see these blossoms, the actual flower only stays on the tree for a matter of days.  Some of my students travel to different regions during this time of year just to enjoy the beauty of the Sakura for a more extended period of time.

It just so happened that I had some free time the last Saturday in April, when the Sakura trees in Fukushima City were in full bloom, so I took a few pictures.  Enjoy!