Cherry blossom season 'bittersweet' time of life

The iconic flower sparks reflection but also an excuse for bad behavior

Scores of locals and tourists alike are flocking to Japan's parks, riverbanks and famous gardens to view the fleeting cherry blossoms (known in Japanese as Sakura) that maintain their resplendent whitish-pink full-bloom sometimes for as briefly as a couple of days depending on the capricious weather at this time of year.

A gusty day, or a downpour of rain, as the ephemeral emergence of the pretty little florets herald the end of winter and the beginning of spring, can swiftly see the dainty petals stripped from trees and scattered mercilessly below their branches on the grass or concrete below, the latter creating a melancholic juxtaposition as nature's fragility briefly blends and brightens colorless roads, pavements and walkways.