THE TIDAL BASIN, THE ENTRY POINT TO WASHINGTON, D.C., AND HOME TO THE JEFFERSON MEMORIAL, IS AT ITS MOST COLORFUL AND VIBRANT THIS WEEKEND.

THE CITY'S HISTORIC CHERRY BLOSSOMS ARE IN FULL BLOOM.

TONIGHT, WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE HISTORY AND SYMBOLISM BEHIND THESE NATIONAL TREASURES.

♪ >> THE START OF SPRING AROUND THE GLOBE MEANS LONGER DAYS, WARMER RAYS OF SUNSHINE AND BURSTS OF BLOOMING FLOWERS.

IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL, THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS ARE AMONG THE WORLD'S MOST TREASURED EXAMPLES, DRAWING THOUSANDS OF ADMIRERS EVERY YEAR.

REVERED FOR THEIR ELEGANT AND AIRY FLOWERS, THESE STURDY TREES CREATE A PINK AND WHITE HALO AROUND THE TIDAL BASIN.

AND WHILE IT TAKES WEEKS FOR THIS JAPANESE SYMBOL OF HOPE TO BLOOM, THE PAPER-THIN PETALS ONLY STAY PUT FOR A FEW PRECIOUS DAYS.

THESE TREES ALSO REPRESENT A CENTURY-OLD BOND BETWEEN TWO NATIONS HALF A WORLD APART.

IT BEGAN AS A GIFT IN 1909, WHEN THE CITY OF TOKYO DONATED 2,000 CHERRY TREES TO THE U.S.

BUT BY THE TIME THE SHIPMENT ARRIVED IN EARLY 1910, THE TREES HAD BECOME DISEASED, INFESTED WITH BUGS, AND HAD TO BE BURNED.

A DETERMINED TOKYO SENT A SECOND BATCH OF TREES IN 1912, THIS TIME MORE THAN 3,000 OF THEM, PLANTED AT THE TIDAL BASIN AS A SYMBOL OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES.

DECADES LATER, BY 1941,WHAT HAD BEEN A SMALL GATHERING TO CELEBRATE THE GIFT, HAD BECOME THE CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL.

NOW, THE ANNUAL EVENT STRETCHES FOR NEARLY A MONTH.

>> THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS ARE ALWAYS A WELCOME DISTRACTION, IF YOU WILL, WHETHER IT'S FROM FROM WINTER OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON.

YOU KNOW, IT'S WASHINGTON'S GRANDEST SPRINGTIME TRADITION.

>> IN A MIRROR IMAGE OF THE FAMOUS SAKURA OR CHERRY BLOSSOM SEASON IN JAPAN, MORE THAN A MILLION VISITORS FROM NEAR AND FAR FLOCK TO THE NATION'S CAPITAL TO EXPERIENCE THE COLORFUL CLOUDS OF FLOWERS KNOWN AS "PEAK BLOOM."

>> IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOW UP HERE, AND THAT WE DEFINITELY HONOR AND CHERISH WHAT WE HAVE.

IT IS DEFINITELY A GEM.

IT'S A JEWEL.

>> THAT JEWEL WILL GROW EVEN MORE BRILLIANT NEXT YEAR.

>> JAPAN RECENTLY ANNOUNCED IT WILL BE SENDING A SURPRISE GIFT - - AN ADDITIONAL 250 CHERRY BLOSSOM TREES TO HONOR AMERICA'S TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH BIRTHDAY