In a series of triptychs, Associated Press photographers in Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo capture the ways people in each country interact with the blossoms. Each set of images focuses on a theme: architecture, children, couples, picnics and others. The combined photos are notable as much for their similarities as their differences.
Cherry Blossoms Lure Admirers Around North Asia
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In this combination of photos showing cherry blossom themed treats and trinkets in Tokyo, Beijing, and Seoul, from left to right: Rice dumplings, including one in pink, are sold at a park in Tokyo, March 31, 2017, cherry flower-shaped popsicles are sold at the Yuyuantan Cherry Blossom festival in Beijing, March 25, 2017; a dog wears a cherry blossom-shaped pin in Seoul, April 9, 2017.
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In this combination of photos showing cherry blossoms with both traditional and modern architecture in Tokyo, Beijing, and Seoul, from left to right: People enjoy lunch at Zojoji Buddhist temple in Tokyo, March 31, 2017; visitors to the Yuyuantan Cherry Blossom festival walk past a Chinese pavilion in Beijing, March 25, 2017; the Lotte World Tower is seen near cherry blossoms in Seoul, April 9, 2017.
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In this combination of photos showing couples with cherry blossoms in Tokyo, Beijing, and Seoul, from left to right: A couple in Japanese traditional wedding Kimonos pose for a photograph under the blooming cherry trees in Tokyo, April 5, 2017; a man and woman share a moment as cherry trees bloom at rear at Yuyuantan park in Beijing, March 25, 2017; a man and woman on a bike take a selfie near cherry blossoms in Seoul, April 10, 2017.