桜 (Sakura) or cherry blossoms, as most know,
have a very special cultural significance
here in Japan. Ask any Japanese person “what is your favourite time of
the year?” and many will say “Haru” (Spring): often in reference to the exquisite
blooming of sakura.
Spring,
of course, is literally the season of new life in nature, and the blooming of
sakura vividly epitomizes this. What makes sakura more profound is that their
life is both beautiful and fleeting: an analogy of human existence.
As the
sakura bloom across Japan people have ‘cherry blossom parties’ or 花見 (Hanami), which
literally translates as ‘watching blossoms’. They eat and drink heartily with
family, friends and/or workmates. It is therefore a time to really appreciate
being alive—and the beauties of life—on many different levels.
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