April 1st

Spring brings a good news and a bad news. Topics are always hay fever and Sakura. Everybody hates cedar and loves Sakura. We check "pollen warning" and "Sakura front" in weather news and prepare for next day.

Sakura, cherry blossom is a symbol of spring, beginning of life, and my country, Japan. It's traditional and cultural no matter what. I mean, who on earth dislikes Sakura in Japan? I haven't heard of anyone dislike Sakura in my entire life.

As I was walking in my neighbourhood, I saw lots of leaf buds sticking out from thick Sakura's trunk. Always leaf buds grow on its trunk and blossoms bloom faster than others on its branches.  Suddenly, one idea struck on me.

"The new branches will be trimmed in summer anyway. Why don't I "trim" and thrive them now!?"

Cutting Sakura trees is a crime. Yes, it's a crime and a BIG one.

Sakura is our heart. Nobody are allowed to cut them...but to trim after blossoms are gone.

I looked around, checked nobody watching me, crouched down, grabbed a small branch and "trimmed" it.

I "trimmed" 3 brand-new Sakura branches and 1 branch from "unknown tree".

Nobody noticed. Yeah, of course. Who would think that somebody cut Sakura without standing and stretching arms??

Can you see how new branches grow from trunk and the part near roots?