In Japanese culture, sakura as the embodiment of beauty and mortality can be traced back centuries. It was their duty to not only exemplify and preserve these virtues in life, but to appreciate the inevitability of death without fearing it — in battle, it came all too soon for the samurai.
Sakura are also revered as a symbol of rebirth. Hanami was in fact established as a ritual as early as , long before the rise of feudal Japan. Believed to represent the mountain deities that transformed into the gods of rice paddies in Japanese folk religions, cherry blossom trees signified agricultural reproduction.
It was during this time the Japanese travelled to the mountains to worship the trees every spring, then transplanted them to inhabited areas. Sakura have therefore always signalled the beginning of spring, a time of renewal and optimism.
With the blooming season coinciding with the beginning of the Japanese calendar year, they also bring hope and new dreams at a time when students start their first day of school and employees their first day of a new job.
When cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the future is bursting with possibilities. Ultimately, the meaning of cherry blossoms teaches the Japanese they are sakura. We all are. Disclosure: I earn a modest commission from Booking. Thank you for your support! Every photographer should witness hanami at least once!
Sophie Nov 17, Nov 18, You're very welcome, Sophie! Kali Jan 3, Its not cool that Americans planted them in their own country when its naturally from Japan ;O. Jan 4, Jacksepticeye Nov 16, Nov 16, Sophie Oct 28, Sakura's my middle name some of my friend's call me Sakura even though it's not my first name:.
Oct 31, Thanks for sharing your connection to this Wonder, Sophie. That's a pretty middle name! Jocelyn Apr 19, It's really cool that they use sakura for ART! Kawaii Sep 28, Sep 29, Very true, Kawaii!
When they bloom, it's such a lovely time! Apr 21, We agree, Jocelyn! We're glad you had so much fun exploring this Wonder! WL Apr 18, I learned that Sakura is a term for flowering cherry trees. Apr 18, That's right, WL! We're glad you learned a cool new fact and vocabulary word! AX Apr 18, Sakura is really beautiful. I have seen them once. What is the climate that will make sakura grow? Does sakura grow everywhere? AF Apr 18, Really nice to know this, Sakura flowers are actually from China EJ Apr 18, What other places are Sakura tree's growing??!?!?!?!?!
Nadom Apr 17, We agree, Nadom! They are beautiful! Apr 5, Hi, piper! They are beautiful tress, too! Yes, they are, kaden! Very pretty to look at! Amber Apr 4, S i made a pun. Thanks for your comment, Amber! We're glad you liked this Wonder! Gabrielle Mar 10, Sakura trees are wonderful i plan to take a trip to Japan in the near future! That would be a great learning experience, too! Wonderopolis Oct 9, I love love love sakura! They're so pretty and sweet-looking!
I made a painting once about a sakura in Japan and how it grew and became the face of Kyoto. And how it blossoms under the sunlight and the breeze! What a sight! Wonderopolis Sep 25, Winter Oct 6, I like the Blossom and the Sweet Pea ones Wonderopolis Oct 6, Thank you for sharing your favorite smells with us! Loved reading the symolism of the cherry blossom and when they bloom at different times throughout Japan.
Good background information to share with my music classes when I teach the song. Wonderopolis Aug 10, Brie May 10, Wonderopolis May 10, I am doing my research project on Japan's tsunami.
It is nice to have some other information on Japan along with my topic. I also have looked at the tsunami wonder page to get some more information. Wonderopolis Apr 17, Those trees are beautiful and I remember doing that song for our music program too, Abby. Wonderopolis Apr 14, Apr 13, It was ice I saw the cherry trees in full bloom in DC!
It was so pretty! Another meaning to the cherry blossoms emerged during World War II, representing Japanese pilots who painted the blossoms onto their warplanes before embarking on kamikaze missions. One kamikaze pilot penned this haiku shortly before he was sent on a mission:.
In , Japan gifted then-American President William Taft with 3, cherry trees in twelve varieties as an act of friendship between the two countries. Twenty were of the gyoiko variety, and these were planted on the grounds of the White House. President Taft returned the gesture with a gift of flowering dogwood trees to Japan. A Cherry Blossom Festival began in Then, in , after WWII, the National Park service shipped budwood from the original trees back to Japan to help restore the damaged grove in Adachi Ward where they had originated.
The trees continue to be propagated and replanted to ensure that the bond of friendship they symbolise continues to blossom. While most Western schools begin the year in September, in Japan, the school year begins in April and coincides with peak cherry blossom season.
In this context, in Japan, the significance of cherry blossoms reflects new beginnings and a visual reminder of hope and fresh starts. As a result of this, you will often see gorgeous scenes of sakura trees and cherry blossoms swirling through the air in Japanese school-life anime. The meaning of cherry blossoms is so revered in Japanese culture that the country engages in a tradition called hanami.
Bearing the metaphorical meaning of cherry blossoms in mind, springtime is seen as a time to dwell on the brevity of life and practice gratitude and mindfulness by being present in the moment. This is where the custom of hanami comes in. During the blossoming season, families and friends gather for hanami, where they eat and drink under the blossoms.
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