Taikoza

Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival Pelham Art Center (map) Spring! Create a traditional Japanese flower arrangement (ikebana) and enjoy a performance by  Taikoza, Japanese drumming group at this annual celebration. About Cherry Blossom Season Japan does not have an official flower, but sakura, or the cherry blossom, is most certainly its unofficial one. Its delicate beauty has captivated the Japanese for centuries and has long been a primary motif in Japanese art for both its aesthetic quality and its symbolism. The blossom of the cherry tree signifies the arrival of spring and is celebrated as a herald of hope and a bright future. Its small, pale petals are also associated with purity. But the flower's delicate quality lends it a decidedly melancholy air, as well. After the cherry tree's buds open, it's just a few short days before the blooms have vanished entirely -- the lovely petals all shed in a spectacular pink flurry. The blossom's ephemeral beauty has become a poignant symbol of impermanence [in Japanese visual culture].