As anyone who has lived in Japan will know, the cherry blossom (sakura) season is very important to Japanese people. Although celebrations this year ("hanami") have been somewhat more subdued than other years due to the devastation in the Tohoku region, the trees have been just as beautiful as ever. RIKEN's Wako campus, with its hundreds of cherry blossom trees, is no exception. The photos below provide just a glimpse of these trees in full bloom. Come see them soon, because they won't be around for long! (Photos by Reiko Suzuki)