The Cherry Tree Weeps for Me: A Quest for The Dawn of Peace chronicles one man’s lifelong pursuit of peace before and after the Pacific War. Takashi Komatsu’s incredible story is told alongside Japan’s pre- and post–WWII history and the country’s remarkable rebirth as a vibrant democratic global economic powerhouse. Komatsu’s life journey from a 12-year-old immigrant living in New York City’s YMCA to his delivery of Harvard’s 1911 commencement address—proves that real life can be stranger than fiction. His.