"Sakura" is the
Japanese name for the Japanese
cherry tree. It
flowers for a few brief weeks in early to mid-
spring. The sakura flower has a
delicate pink-white
color and a distinctive five-pointed
blossom, and shows up in various types of
literary and
visual symbolism in
Japan.
Since the period of bloom is so brief for these trees, they are associated with the transient nature of life. Samurai found the sakura an inspiration to conquer the fear of death, since by its very nature the sakura's time of glory is brief, but ah, what glory it is.
During those short weeks in which entire parks are splendorously dressed in pink and white by the falling petals, there is a particular type of pastime many Japanese indulge in - the "hanami".
Sakura is also a Japanese given name for both boys and girls, and appears in surnames such as "Sakurai" and "Sakuraba".