The Sakura Matsuri Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the most fascinating NYC events that takes place every year late April or early May at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden (990 Washington Ave, Brooklyn). People attending this festival are welcomed to engage in a myriad of interesting activities, games, such as Shogi, a popular Japanese chess variant game, and many fine performances based on Japanese cosplay, dances and more. This lively and colorful festival celebrates traditional and contemporary Japanese culture. Hence, the main purpose is to celebrate the end of Hanami, which literally means "looking at flowers." However, throughout the years, Hanami has strongly been linked to celebrating every moment of the Sakura cherry blossom season rather than just looking at any tree or flower. The reason being that these trees, aside from their eminent beauty, are also very special in the sense that their flowers are in full bloom only for a couple of days every year. Thus, to Japanese people, this event is also a symbolic representation of life and death. A remainder that everything blossoms at some point in life and, eventually, must also end someday. This sentimental notion, however, is only seen yet another reason to enjoy life to the fullest. Thus, the festival fits this purpose, and also encourages people to engage in an array of fun, healthy, and interesting activities, while also celebrating with family and friends amidst the fresh breeze and beautifully blooming pink-petal trees.