Manila, Philippines, 2003. Dane Chandler is visiting Manila on a writing assignment. Jack Pierce is a tough-talking Korean War veteran. When Jack asks Dane to join him for cards at the pension's cafe, Dane instinctively agrees, sensing the man's "command" presence. What unfolds will change their lives forever.

Tokyo, Japan, 1949. Jack Pierce joined the army for honor and adventure, finding himself garrisoned at Camp Drake, Tokyo. On a raucous night at Ginza's glitzy Club Florida, the young corporal meets the love of his life, Michiko Okura. After a touchy start, the two embark on a journey of love and discovery. But when the Korean War erupts, Jack ships out to a brutal landscape of violence and is not the same when he returns.

As Dane listens to Jack's story, experiencing his hellish battlefield encounters and tremendous loss, he witnesses Jack's undaunted outlook on life and discovers newfound maturity in himself.

A searing, hard-boiled account of camaraderie among soldiers, multi-cultural love, and heartbreak set against the colorful backdrop of post-war Japan and the horrific battle for "Rat Mountain," Cherry Blossoms in Winter is a wild rollercoaster, making one laugh, cry, cheer, and relish the power of the human spirit.