Cherry blossom season: a fleeting springtime spectacle

Each spring, a startling surprise unfolds before our eyes - the cherry blossoms are in bloom again. Bare branches now cloudlike, adorned with pink, white, and purple flowers. The last wild gusts of winter whip through the trees, sending a confetti burst of blooms through the air.

Cherry blossom season: that mystical time of renewal

The tradition of celebrating these delicate flowers goes back centuries in Japan. In the United States, they're a more recent import. According to the National Park Service, the first cherry trees were planted in Washington, D.C. in 1912 as a gift from Japan.

Today, cherry blossom festivals take place not only in Washington but also in San Francisco, Copenhagen, Seoul, and various regions across Japan. Attendees often don blossom-inspired outfits, from flowing floral dresses to pink berets. Enthusiasts track the blooms using interactive maps, like the Central Park or Brooklyn Botanic Garden tracker, which populates the scenery with little flower icons and species details for curious minds.

In celebration of the fleeting magic of cherry blossoms worldwide, Vogue asked 11 photographers to share their favorite shots of these beloved trees. Below, see their selections.