Japan's famous cherry blossoms in full bloom
- Published
Japan's famous blossom trees have come into bloom, as spring has officially sprung and nature is waking up after winter.
Cherry blossom is a big part of Japanese culture.
There, the season is called 'Sakura' - a short time around late March and early April where the delicate blossoms appear at their most beautiful.
Let's take a look ast some beautiful pictures of the season.
Across the regions of Japan people get together to celebrate when the trees flower. It's a Japanese custom called 'hanami' or 'flower viewing'.
Areas around the trees are filled with families and friends picnicking and taking in the new season.
People from all over the world travel to Japan to cities, towns and villages to see the stunning pink and white sights.
Blossom is the flowers produced by stone fruit trees, for example plums, cherries, apples and hawthorns. Cherry blossom is arguably the most famous of all the different kind of blossom you can expect to see.
The reason for the trees producing these colourful and sweet-smelling flowers is to attract insects, for pollination - the process that helps the tree to reproduce.