After the initial statement of this famous Japanese song, the rest of the composition appears in ternary (ABA) form: fast, slow, fast. While variations found in the compositions of earlier composers might keep the melody and change the harmony (or vice-versa), in modern times there may be only hints of the original melody appearing as the variations (variants) progress. And that is what happens in this piece, Sakura (pronounced Sah ku da, accent on 1st syllable) Variants. After the introduction, you will hear fragments from this folk song surrounded by new material throughout. The music is written for many percussion instruments, and it is hoped that those ensembles performing it will have enough performers to cover all the parts.