Springtime signals its presence differently around the world, but Japan's spring awakening is particularly famous. Every year, thousands upon thousands of cherry trees blossom across the country in a dramatic show of pink and white.
This year, National Geographic is gathering the best shots of these delicate flowers in full bloom. Together, the trees create an ethereal effect that is so beloved that Japan's Meteorological Agency even compiles a forecast of the sakura blossoms, charting the spread of this phenomenon as it heads northward.
[Photos via Bored Panda]
