The big one we had all been waiting for finally arrived! That is the blossoming of the Somei Yoshino cherry trees. These are most common Sakura (cherry blossoms) in Japan, although outside of Japan they seem to be rarer than others. When these trees blossom, everyone gets in a party mood because it means that winter is finally over. These particular trees in this photo blossomed a couple of days earlier than most in the area, due to the fact that they were near to buildings and surrounded by concrete which makes the air around them just a little warmer. Look forward to a couple of more PBLOG entries related to Sakura in the near future.