No.6 Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)

What is cherry blossoms for Japanese? Sakura is something special for Japanese people. The custom of loving a large number of flowers blooming in a tree is unique to Japanese even in the whole wide world. Maybe. Cherry blossoms blooms from March to April in various parts of Japan, starting from the warmest area. The line connecting the expected flowering date of cherry blossoms (mainly Somei Yoshino) in various parts of Japan is called the Sakura Front, and during the cherry blossom season, the location of the Sakura Front is reported daily in the news. Spreading sheets under the cherry tree, banquets are held by family, friends, and people at the workplace. The cherry blossom viewing are very special events.

The cherry blossom petals are pink and beautiful. And about two weeks after they begin to bloom, the petals begin to scatter all at once and appear to dance in the wind like confetti. Many people like it. The most famous cherry tree is Yoshino cherry tree, a clone of a single tree originated from the cross between Edhigan and Oshima. It spread all over Japan from one tree.

Kawazu cherry blossoms are becoming increasingly popular as early bloomers. This is an early blooming cherry tree that has its origin in the town of Kawazu in Shizuoka Prefecture. This cherry is deeper pink than Somei Yoshino. These cherry blossoms have recently been seen all over Japan. In the Kanto region, this Kawazu cherry blossoms can be seen in mid-February.

(Hanami-cherry blossom viewing)

By the way, who takes the place for the cherry blossom viewing? It is the youngest person in the group, the youngest employee in a traditional Japanese company. He (maybe not she) spreads a sheet from the morning and sits on it and takes a place. If only a sheet is laid and no one is there, it may be removed by the venue manager. What to eat at a banquet for cherry-blossom viewing? Onigiri, yakitori, kara-age, fried eggs, dumplings, and sushi may be popular. On the other hand as for drink, beer is by far the best at hanami. And after that, tea and juice follow. However, the cherry blossom season is usually still cold. In that sense, drinking beer in the open air may be a little early. Pretty warm tea may be better.

（Nagaya no Hanami)

I wondered if there are any good short stories about cherry-blossom viewing. And I noticed that there was an interesting story from the old days. It is a story told in rakugo, one of the classic narration arts. There is a story called “Nagaya no Hanami (The Poor Men’s Cherry-blossom Viewing), which is about cherry blossom viewing.

The story tells: In the tenement houses where many poor people live. They are so poor that they haven’t paid for rent for years, burning their doors to keep them warm. The doors are gone, but they are poor enough that no thieves will ever come because there is nothing to steal. (On the contrary, someone jokes that tenement resident has been a thief.) The residents do not have any work, so they decide to go to cherry blossom viewing to kill time. They have to substitute everything they bring to the cherry-blossom viewing. For example, the rug on the ground is a mat, the fried egg is a yellow taku-an (pickled radish), and the most important sake is green tea that has been used many times. Then, when they reach the cherry blossom viewing spot, they drink tea and pretend to be drunk. And when they pretend to have quarrels with each other, the people around are frightened and run away, leaving real feasts and alcohol. The bastards of the tenements get it fortunately.

(Information)

There are beautiful places of cherry blossoms all over the country. Here are some of the famous cherry blossom spots in Tokyo.

Meguro River Cherry Blossoms Promenade: https://goo.gl/maps/9DKJg2789itA2Ldk6

Rikugien Gardens: https://goo.gl/maps/Ux85NP8nzqbYYYTr5

Chidori-ga-fuchi Park https://goo.gl/maps/Ux85NP8nzqbYYYTr5

Sumida Park https://goo.gl/maps/Js4CD8Ssud3wVmuj6

Ueno Onshi Park https://goo.gl/maps/DzqDweyZDbaTL65M8

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