Japanese people gather to see cherry blossoms in the Japanese capital Tokyo during the plant's blossoming season in this undated photo.

The cherry blossom, called "sakura" in Japanese, is a well-known and ubiquitous symbol of Japan. More than 305 species of cherry blossoms can be seen in the nation, many of which were artificially hybridized or grafted by Japanese many centuries ago.

The appearance of the plant's fragile blossom each spring strikes a resonant chord in all Japanese. The blossoming typically reaches Tokyo and Kyoto at the end of March or beginning of April.

(CRI April 10, 2007)