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Heres a program from our archives.New Blossom, New Music, New YearAmbience: Traditional Japanese vocal musicFor hundreds of years, the blossoming of Cherry trees in Japan has attracted crowds of admirers to view the flowers, contemplate their beauty, and sometimes to sing. Like any living tradition, the annual observance of Cherry blossoms has come to reflect some more recent trends. I'm Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet.Kodama: Cherry blossom is really a national flower. It is very naturally accepted as a flower which symbolizes the hearts and the minds of the Japanese people.Kazua Kodama is the Counselor for Public Affairs at the Japanese Embassy in Washington DC.Kodama: In Japan, the timing of this flowering Cherry season heralds the beginning of a New Year. In fact, still in Japan our school year starts not from September, like you do in the United States or in Europe, but in April. The timing of the New Year coincides with the flowering season of Cherry trees.Singing traditional Japanese songs has often been a part of the Cherry Blossom celebrations. In recent years, however, the music has taken on a decidedly contemporary flavor.ambience: Karaoke Kodama: The most common way of celebrating the cherry blossoms of course, [is to] go there under the cherry blossom trees with our friends or our family and then we drink sake. And nowadays, I think, Karaoke also is a very common feature. Karaoke literally means empty orchestra.This archival program is part of our thirtieth anniversary celebration. If you want hear more, check out our podcast. Im Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet.