Lovely present from Japan: Sakura tree

My student presented me another gift.

It is a

 MAGIC SAKURA TREE

After unfolding it,it looked like this

I forgot to take a photo from the beginning!

After unfolding and putting it in a small tray

you sprinkle the magic water over it.

After about 4 hours it started to make “flowers”

This morning it was fully in bloom.

Sorry for poor photos but the light was not good this morning.

Some interesting information from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_blossom

In Japan, cherry blossoms also symbolize clouds due to their nature of blooming en masse, besides being an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life,^[9] an aspect of Japanese cultural tradition that is often associated with Buddhist influence,^[10] and which is embodied in the concept of mono no aware.^[11] The association of the cherry blossom with mono no aware dates back to 18th-century scholar Motoori Norinaga.^[11] The transience of the blossoms, the extreme beauty and quick death, has often been associated with mortality;^[9] for this reason, cherry blossoms are richly symbolic, and have been utilized often in Japanese art, manga, anime, and film, as well as at musical performances for ambient effect. There is at least one popular folk song, originally meant for the shakuhachi (bamboo flute), titled “Sakura“, and several pop songs. The flower is also represented on all manner of consumer goods in Japan, including kimono, stationery, and dishware.

The Sakurakai or Cherry Blossom Society was the name chosen by young officers within the Imperial Japanese Army in September 1930 for their secret society established with the goal of reorganizing the state along totalitarian militaristic lines, via a military coup d’état if necessary.^[12]