In Japan, cherry blossoms also symbolize the transience of life, which is a major theme in Buddhism. The cherry-blossom tree is known for its short but brilliant blooming season, a natural process that metaphorically describes human life.
Additionally, cherry blossoms have long held significance to Japanese nationalism and militarism, anthropologist Emiko Ohnuki-Tierney wrote in her book "Kamikaze, Cherry Blossoms, and Nationalisms: The Militarization of Aesthetics in Japanese History" (University Of Chicago Press, 2002).
A fallen cherry blossom symbolizes a fallen samurai who sacrificed his life for the emperor. During World War II, the flowers took on a similar meaning when they were painted on the side of kamikaze warplanes.