Cherry Blossoms

Can you believe it’s possible to enjoy the glorious cherry blossoms of early spring in Washington D.C. just as you can in Japan？ The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual event held in the U.S. capital since 1912， when Tokyo donated[贈送] Japanese cherry trees to D.C. as a gift to promote friendship between the two nations. The cherry trees blossom around March and April depending on the weather.

Lining the Tidal Basin and around the Washington Monument， the pink and white flowering trees brighten the metropolitan[大都市的] skyline. The Festival draws tens of thousands of tourists near to far， to ramble[漫步] in the shadows under the blooming cherry trees. Kids are the happiest. They frolic[嬉戲] in the falling petals[花瓣]. When wind blows， the feather-like petals fly like snowflakes off the hundred-yearold trees. The best time to take great photos is on a good day when the sun peeks coyly through the white clouds. And the most popular place to snap a memorable shot with the low-rise cherry blossoms is definitely by the Tidal Basin， with the Thomas Jefferson Memorial as a backdrop. The Festival goes on for days. In the past couple of years， I have not missed any.

Aside from the blooming cherry blossoms， the event was like a Japanese gala[節日] with Japanese dancers performing on stage. It was not surprising that one may be mistaken for being in Japan. Dressed in traditional kimonos[和服]， the white-faced Japanese dancers raised their arms and kicked their feet in slow motion. The classical Japanese music wafted[飄送] far and wide through the cool air. The scene， the sound， and the

fragrance[芬芳] of the trees transported every spectator to the origin of this culture.

In such a patriotic capital city， where every corner is full of landmarks from American history， every year one can view cherry blossoms to herald the arrival of spring， and to celebrate the annual feast[節日，盛宴] simultaneously[同時]， just the way the Japanese would in their home country， and most of all， to better understand the Japanese traditional culture. If you plan to visit the U.S. capital in the spring， don’t miss this golden opportunity to attend the National Cherry Blossom Festival.