In 1912, the city of Tokyo made a wonderful gift to the citizens of Washington, D.C. when they sent along 3,000 cherry trees. Every spring since, these sakura (cherry blossoms) have enlivened the area around the Tidal Basin: the National Cherry Blossom Festival draws more than one million visitors each year from all corners of the globe. This fine digital collection from the Library of Congress tells the story of these landmark trees and offers insight into the historical significance of cherry blossoms in Japan. Visitors can start by clicking on the Themes area to look over original paintings, postcards, and other documents related to topics such as Watercolors of the Original Sakura and Sakura: Cherry Blossoms in Japanese Cultural History. One very moving item here is an editorial cartoon by Herbert Block which depicts President Franklin D. Roosevelt tending to withering olive branches as fragile symbols of peace while the cherry trees blossom in the background. Also, visitors can click on the Exhibition Items area to view a chart of all the items included on the site.