From the end of March through early April, Japan is busy celebrating the beauty of the Sakura, or cherry blossoms. It is customary for thousands of people to gather in parks and other public places to appreciate some of the over 150 varieties of cherry trees found in Japan. Ground coverings are spread out to accommodate the gathering of family, friends and workers spending time eating and drinking underneath the beautiful cherry trees. Business, schools and households use this time of year to start a new season. Hanami represents a time of change.
The tradition of Hana-Mi (literally flower viewing) dates back to the times of Emperor Saga in the early 800’s. This tradition spread to the warrior class in the late 1500’s, and then with the common people during the Edo period (1600-1868). The small pink and white blossoms were the subject of many poems and captured the hearts of the Japanese. For over 1,000 years sakura have stood as an icon of Japan and it’s beauty.
Hana-Mi and the Samurai Class
The poetry and meaning of sakura was not lost on the samurai class. The delicate, temporal nature of the cherry blossoms (sakura no hana) provided a metaphor for how delicate and fleeting life and beauty truly are. The Tokugawa shogunate helped further the appreciation of the sakura by planting cherry trees in Edo and encouraged families to plant cherry trees as well.
Sakura Matsuri (sakura – cherry blossom; matsuri – festival)
If you have an opportunity to visit Japan during Sakura Matsuri, you will find many public celebrations that will last well into the evening. Special foods are available, and of course, sake.
However, you might find it easier to visit Washington, D.C. to view the abundance of cherry trees concentrated mostly near the tidal basin at the Jefferson Memorial. Three thousand cherry trees were donated to the city of Washington, D.C. in 1912 by Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo celebrating the growing friendship between the two countries.
Today in Washington, D.C., like in Japan there are a host of activities, parades, demonstrations of Japanese arts and plenty of food to make a wonderful time of Hana-Mi.
Content copyright © 2006 by Melanie Shintaku. All rights reserved.
This content was written by Melanie Shintaku. If you wish to use this content in any manner, you need written permission.