Do Japanese people like cherry blossoms? Why?

Cherry blossom viewing is a passionate spring event. In Japan, you can see cherry blossoms everywhere from early spring onwards. I was once asked by someone who had just arrived from abroad why Japanese people love cherry blossoms so much.

People might say things like it's because cherry blossom viewing is an annual event where people have banquets outdoors, or that the cherry blossoms in full bloom are beautiful and magnificent, or that the way the petals fall is clean and suits the Japanese temperament, or that they give off a cool feeling... but it seems that none of these really answer the question, "Why do Japanese people love them so much?"

So, one answer of my own is... because cherry blossoms can be found everywhere in Japan—in the mountains, in the cities, and in the suburbs. And for just a short period in spring, they transform even ordinary scenery into something incredibly beautiful... I suppose... although there are probably many other theories as well.