Sakura: A Musical Celebration of the Cherry Blossoms. (2003)

The cherry blossom is Japan’s national flower and symbolizes the transience and beauty both of human life and of nature. This album reflects the harmony between man and nature and is appropriately named in honor of the cherry blossom. It features haunting melodies that sound very exotic to Western ears. Some pieces are vocal (e.g. traditional Japanese folk songs such as Yasugi Bushi) and others are instrumental using classical instruments (e.g. the title song Sakura that features the koto). Available from http://www.folkways.si.edu
-Recommended by Christine Foster Meloni

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