Things to Do at Washington, D.C.'s Cherry Blossom Festival

jsmjr, flickr

Nearly a century ago, Yukio Ozaki -- then mayor of Tokyo -- gave three thousand cherry trees to the city of Washington. The first two trees were planted in West Potomac Park on March 27, 1912 to honor the friendship between the United States and Japan. The flowering trees have been celebrated ever since, both for their striking beauty and their symbolism.