I took this photo at the Davis arboretum, which we visited a couple of weeks ago to enjoy the Spring-like weather. Winter in Sacramento is a big drag. I think the word “gray” best sums it up. It’s gray enough for a Charles Dickens novel. You’d think there’s a coal factory around here. So, I can honestly say that I look forward to the emergence of Spring more than any holiday. Aside from the warmer weather, my favorite thing about this time of year is the cherry blossoms.
The ritual of going out to view the cherry blossoms began in China and spread to Japan, where it continues today as the hanami, or “flower viewing,” festival. There is a cherry blossom forecast which annually predicts when the cherry trees will bloom throughout Japan.
As I learned on this site, Japanese poetry about the cherry blossom can be found even in the Kokinshu, which was the first Imperial poetry anthology, finished circa 914. The cherry blossom, beautiful but short-lived, symbolizes the ephemeral nature of existence. This tone is found in many of the poems. For example,
the radiance of cherry blossoms, their scent,
ever fresh with each passing year -
so man grows old, eternally
and
were the cherry tree totally absent from this world,
how carefree would be the heart in spring-time
It’s therefore fitting that, as the Japanese school year begins in April, the first day of school coincides with the hanami festival!
