Cherry blossoms - that's why they are so loved in Japan
In Japan, cherry blossoms are endowed with a strong symbolism, where the delicate pink and white petals of this tree are celebrated at the moment of their flowering. The hanami, in fact, is a great party in which the Japanese admire the spectacle of cherry blossoms. Let's see together what meaning they have and why they have become so famous in the world. You know that throwing flowers at a wedding is also a nice alternative to classic rice? E "explained in the video!
The characteristics of the cherry tree
The cherry blossom is the flower that belongs to the Prunus tree. In Japan a particular variety of Prunus is widespread, called Prunus Serrulata, and its flower is called sakura. For centuries in the Rising Sun the tradition of celebrating it has been widespread. flowering (called hanami): every spring, in fact, ocean-going crowds of Japanese gather in parks, in the city or in the most scenic places to admire the spectacle of cherry petals falling to the ground, coloring the landscape with pink.
The cherry tree found in our area, on the other hand, belongs to a different species (even if it blooms in April like the Japanese one): it is a plant belonging to the Rosaceae family that is native to Europe. Also called "bird cherry" or "wild cherry" it is widespread not only in Europe but also in the Middle East and Asia Minor. Cherry trees can reach up to 25 meters in height and feature a flower made up of five white or pink petals.
Flowering varies depending on the climatic conditions but generally the cherry blossoms bloom during the spring season. As already said, there are several species, such as the progressifloro cherry and the visciolo; the characteristic of the first type is to have a flowering that develops progressively from the beginning of the spring season to the end of the autumn one. That is, it has a second flowering in autumn and is an extremely decorative tree widely used to embellish parks and gardens.
The different varieties of cherry
In Japan, cherry trees are serious business! There are various species but the most popular varieties are Somei Yoshino and winter cherry. Somei Yoshino has pure white flowers tinged with pale pink strokes. Generally they bloom and wither within a week. There is also the winter sakura, or fuyuzakura (Prunus subhirtella autumnalis), which begins to bloom in autumn and then continues, albeit sporadically, throughout the winter.
Other varieties also include the yamazakura, lo yaezakura, and it shidarezakura. These usually have large pink flowers and a drooping pattern similar to that of the weeping willow.
The cherry tree must absolutely be grown outdoors because it needs at least six hours of full sun a day to flower. Therefore, it loves well exposed areas and fertile and well-drained soil, free of stagnation.
The trees are usually planted in the fall, so that in March they are ready to be fertilized. In gardening, this plant is very popular because it gives a very beautiful flowering every year that makes even the simplest garden a riot of pink petals.
The meaning of cherry blossoms
Even in the West, the symbolism of the cherry blossom is very ancient, so much so that in the Victorian era, giving a branch with cherry blossoms to a woman was a way to celebrate her polite and admirable behavior. In China the meaning of these white and pink petals is closely linked to the female universe, in fact the cherry blossom indicates the beauty and sexuality of women. However, it is in Japan that the cherry blossom is celebrated as a real symbol. national.
For the Japanese, in fact, these flowers symbolize the delicacy, beauty but also the fragility of human life. Their fleeting and ephemeral beauty is celebrated because, after having blossomed, they fall to the ground to rejoin the ground. The flower itself, called sakura, is however a symbol of good wishes for the future and of beauty, however, the cherry tree is always traced back to the brevity of existence.
The petals of the cherry tree that fade in the wind were, not surprisingly, also used by samurai as a metaphor for the short life of warriors: in the past, in fact, only those who were samurai could tattoo cherry blossoms on their body. The intrinsic characteristics of this beautiful flower add it to the idea of rapid death: during the Second World War, Japanese pilots (and suicide bombers) used to decorate their plane with the flowers of this tree, just to symbolize the brevity of their existence.
To date, cherry blossoms, as they are called in English, are one of the most tattooed symbols even outside of Japan because they are among the most iconic images of the Rising Sun.
A popular Japanese belief even believes that the spirit of the young warriors who died in battle is reincarnated in delicate cherry blossoms. Their meaning, however, does not end here. The five-petaled flower, in fact, recalls Buddhism and the division of the five cardinal points, as well as five are also the sacred elements.
For these links with various spheres of Japanese life, the sakura has been used in various contexts, from manga to art, from music to cinema to textile art, represented on kimonos of inestimable beauty.
The sakura has long been celebrated by poets and artists as a symbol of mono no aware from Buddhist. The meaning is linked to the sense of transience of life and beauty, however it has also been taken up by Western art. From Van Gogh to Manet, passing through the other French post-impressionists (Renoir, Degas, Gauguin), these flowers count a large group of admirers who have allowed themselves to be seduced by their charm; in literature, on the other hand, it is Chekov who has exalted them in his work.
Blooming cherry blossoms
In Japan, the cherry tree is an important cultural symbol, so much so that a centenary festival called Hanami (which literally means cherry tree night) has been established, just to admire its flowering.
The term Hanami is made up of “hana” (which means flower) and the particle “mi” which means to see.
Every year, in spring, in the days of flowering, the inhabitants of Japan gather to have picnics in the shade of the cherry trees, celebrating this holiday together.
The custom is said to have started during the Nara period (710-794) but it was during the Heian period that cherry blossoms began to attract more attention and hanami became synonymous with sakura.
Aside from Japan, there are many places where you can admire long tree-lined avenues full of cherry blossoms. After the Japanese one, the most important festival is the one held in Vancouver, Canada, between March and May, but also in Germany and Italy there are many gardens famous for their spectacular cherry trees.
In our country, one of the most famous places to admire sakura is in Rome, near the lake in the Eur district, where many cherry trees have been planted that every spring give a fabulous pink show. If we were in Japan, however, we could not miss the blooms of Maruyama Park in Kyoto, that of Ueno in Tokyo and those of the castles of Himeji and Hirosaki (however, the Japanese Association for Cherry Blossoms has compiled a list of the 100 best places to observe the blooms). The Hanami show is usually held between April 23 and May 5 but a lot depends on the climatic conditions of the year which can anticipate or delay flowering.
