Japanese people love cherry blossoms. It’s safe to say that the vast majority of Japanese people love cherry blossoms. However, from the perspective of foreigners, the way Japanese people adore cherry blossoms seems a little crazy.
Admiring flowers is a universal thing, and all around the world, people love all kinds of flowers that are appropriate for each season, such as roses, tulips, sunflowers, dandelions, lilies, orchids, and so on.
So, I had thought that Japanese people loving cherry blossoms was just a very common and universal act. Besides, Japanese people also love countless other flowers like plum blossoms, peach blossoms, morning glories, rapeseed flowers, as much as they love cherry blossoms. I had thought that there was no reason to say that the way Japanese people love cherry blossoms is abnormal.
However, a certain Japanese person who had a French friend told their friend about the Japanese cherry blossom season and the state of Japan. The conversation went like this:
Japanese person:
“In Japan, when spring comes, the cherry blossom blooming situation is reported in newspapers and on television. Starting from when a single petal blooms in major cities all over the country, reports of cherry blossoms blooming sporadically, being one-third in bloom, half in bloom, five-sixths in bloom, full bloom, beginning to fall, etc. are reported by newspapers and television minute by minute.”
French person:
“That’s crazy! I’ve never heard of such a country.”
Japanese person:
“Officials from the Japan Meteorological Agency pay attention to the cherry blossom tree in front of the Imperial Palace and check it every day in the spring. When a single petal finally blooms, they proudly declare the beginning of cherry blossom season in Tokyo and that becomes the declaration for the entire country. Newspapers and television report it as top news, and everyone rejoices.”
French person:
“That’s crazy, it’s ridiculous. I can’t believe it.”
Japanese person:
“Other major cities also make their own declaration of the beginning of cherry blossom season, and it becomes top news in their region.”
French person:
“Why does it become like that? I can’t believe it at all. Japan is crazy.”
Japanese person:
“But don’t you cherish flowers too when there’s something to celebrate in France, such as giving or receiving flowers when confessing love to someone you like?”
French person:
“Yes, but that’s between individuals or small groups in a region. It’s impossible for all the citizens in France to equally honor a single flower, though it’s not as if it’s done on a national level like in Japan. Japan is crazy for treating a single flower like that.”
After knowing about this conversation, I realized that something I had thought was very ordinary could be seen as abnormal on a global scale.
In Japan, people are accustomed to cherishing cherry blossoms since childhood, so they have never felt anything strange about it. People all over the world love flowers and decorate their rooms with them, put them in their hair, offer them to the deceased, and cherish them in many different ways, just like in Japan.
However, when looking objectively at how Japanese people cherish cherry blossoms as seen in the dialogue between the Japanese and French persons above, it’s not surprising that it is called abnormal.
But still, I think it’s okay that way.
In Japan, schools start in April, so March when cherry blossoms bloom is the season of graduation and farewell. April is also the time for enrollment or employment. People cry over farewells and look forward to new encounters. Cherry blossoms always sympathize with the quivering hearts of the Japanese.
Certainly, in Japan, reports on the cherry blossom blooming situation will continue for a long time to come.
Cherry blossoms are not just beautiful flowers but also a symbol of Japanese culture, representing the ephemeral nature of life and the transience of beauty. The short-lived blooming period of cherry blossoms is a reminder to cherish and appreciate every moment of life.
In Japan, cherry blossoms have been deeply ingrained in the culture and have inspired various art forms such as poetry, painting, and music. Cherry blossom viewing, or hanami, is a traditional custom where people gather under the cherry trees to admire the blossoms, have a picnic, and enjoy sake.
Despite the fact that the way Japanese people cherish cherry blossoms may seem abnormal to some, it’s a unique and beautiful part of Japanese culture that has been passed down for generations. The beauty of cherry blossoms is not just in their delicate pink petals but also in the feelings they evoke in the hearts of Japanese people.
Author：Jun Kurose
