The long-awaited spring has arrived.
Some people prefer winter, when they feel tighter, but I prefer the warmer season because I don’t like the cold.
Spring is the season when many things begin anew, and above all, it is the season when the cherry blossom, which is said to be “the flower of Japan” and “the flower that Japanese people love the most”, blooms in full glory. （Many other countries have cherry trees! Don’t say…(^_^;)
The temperature is around 17°C (63°F), and a leisurely stroll against a clear blue sky, looking up at the blooming cherry blossoms, fills you with a sense of peace.
Cherry blossom petals fall on the surface of the water. Listening to the murmur of the slowly flowing brook, new creative energy seems to spring forth.
Cherry blossom forecast map (image by Japan Weather Association).
At the time this article is published, the cherry blossom season is exactly from late March to early April. Cherry blossoms bloom and fall in sequence from Kyushu to Hokkaido. This is called the ‘cherry blossom front’. (Cherry blossoms in Okinawa Prefecture are called Kanhi zakura, which bloom in the second half of February.)
The beauty of cherry blossoms is not only in the flowers themselves.
By having many small flowers bloom evenly, they blend in well with the landscape. They attract people more for their beauty in combination with the landscape than for their beauty on their own.
And its beauty reaches its climax when the petals fall.
The petals fall in a silky dance as if they are colouring the air.
The contrast between the glory of a flower in full bloom and the graciousness of a falling flower is deeply moving to the Japanese mind.
Thus, ‘Hanami in spring’ is a deeply rooted custom of the Japanese people. Its history is said to be as long as 1,000 years.（Hanami＝flower viewing）
However, it is not as if the ‘cherry blossoms of today’ have always been loved from the beginning.
It is said that more than a thousand years ago, the plum blossom was the favourite flower of the nobility. The plum tree was often used as the subject of waka poems composed in those days. The plum tree is a little shrubby compared to the cherry tree, but it is still cherished by lovers today for its fragrance and elegant appearance.
Over time, this seems to have changed to cherry blossom viewing.
One of the reasons for this may be that plum trees bloom around February when it is still cold, whereas cherry trees bloom in the warmer months.
From left to right: plum, mountain cherry and Someiyoshino.
Even though the transition from plum blossoms to cherry blossoms took place, the cherry trees used for cherry blossom viewing at that time were of the ‘yama-zakura’ or ‘yae-zakura’ variety, which are different from the mainstream cherry blossoms of today. (Large clusters of mountain cherry trees can still be seen on Yoshino Mountain in southern Nara Prefecture.)
The most common cherry tree in the mainstream today is the Someiyoshino variety. It was bred about 170 years ago and has since spread throughout the country. The name Somei-Yoshino is derived from both Somei-Mura, where the gardener who created it was located, and Yoshino-yama.
The ‘Japanese and cherry blossoms’ is a very strongly linked combination, but just as people and society change with the times, so do cherry blossoms…
In Japan, April is set as the start of the new school year, so school and social life also begins based on April. In the midst of the busy transition to a new year, hanami is held for a brief respite and enjoyment.
By late April, the cherry blossoms have fallen in most parts of Japan and the cherry blossom viewing season is over for the year. The immediate period of time is spent tackling the new academic year and work commitments.
Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that there is one more flower that blooms in late April or early May and delights people.
It is the ‘wisteria flower’.
Several closely related species of ‘wisteria’ grow wild in Asia and North America, among which ‘Wisteria floribunda’ is endemic to Japan and boasts a magnificent beauty. In recent years, it has been exported to the USA and Europe and has an increasing number of enthusiasts.
There are only a limited number of places where ‘wisteria flower viewing’ is possible, as controlled areas and trellises are required, but many ‘wisteria gardens’ are set up as sweet flower arcades.
The clusters of flowers pouring overhead are a unique sight not to be found anywhere else.
In recent years, wisteria gardens have been increasing in Europe and elsewhere, but the standard format for Japanese wisteria gardens is to use trellises.
If you are planning to visit Japan in late April or early May, please look out for them. (^^)