Cherry blossoms, or sakura, are one of Japan's landmarks. From the second half of March to mid-April, Japan is submerged in a delicate pink sea of blossoms. Japanese people flock with their colorful tarpaulins and plenty of obento and alcohol to sit under the white-pink clouds, enjoying the heartbreakingly fleeting cherry blossom season in good, exuberant company during Hanami, which translates to: cherry blossom viewing. What a beautiful custom!
In this period, many things also revolve around the five-petaled flower: Japanese sweets (wagashi) come in seasonal attire: monaka in blossom shape, pink sakurayokan or sakuramochi wrapped in a cherry leaf. Almost every product treats itself to a bit of pink: Sakura KitKat, Sakura Pocky, Sakura Glacé, Sakura Frappuccino or Sakura Latte… to name just a few. It's wonderful that a single blossom can trigger such a festival.
I fondly remember the Hanamis in Inokashira Park or Shinjuku Gyoen, the strolls along the tree-lined Meguro Canal or wandering through Ueno Park – amidst a crowd that resembles a concert.
No one wants to miss the magnificent blossoms, because sakura is the epitome of beauty and transience, a bittersweet reminder to embrace and appreciate the moment.
„If there were no cherry blossoms in this world, how serene and calm would the heart be in spring“
— Ariwara no Narihira (825-880)
A poem by Ariwara no Narihira aptly describes the complex feelings evoked by cherry blossoms:
世の中にたえて桜のなかりせば春の心はのどけからまし
"If there were no cherry blossoms in this world, how serene and calm would the heart be in spring"
The poem describes the emotional turbulence of spring: the eager anticipation of the cherry blossoms, the delight in their beauty, yet mixed with the inevitable sadness of the falling petals.
In this spirit:
Happy Hanami from Tokoro! 🌸🌸🌸
