Cherry Blossom The Flower of a Warrior
My heart belongs to Kyoto…..
It’s that time again. Kyoto, lovely Kyoto is blooming with Hanami, the kimono are out in droves and the viewing parties are in full force. Oh to be in the Land of the Rising Sun now.
I always get a little weepy at this time of the year. The cherry blossom is as important to Japan as the kimono once was. It’s an enduring, iconic symbol, delicate, long admired for a transient reminder that the beauty of life is all too fleeting.
During the feudal age of Japan, the samurai chose the cherry blossom as the flower of contemplation. They wrote haikus and death poems devoted to flower that fell in a gossamer stream for a few short days every spring.
The Way of the Warrior is death. The samurai knew life was brief. Because the samurai code-the Bushido, The Way-preached readiness for death, when they looked at the five-sided blossoms thin as paper or held one in their hand they felt deep affinity to the beauty and the shortness of life.
“An old Edo proverb hold’s whoever find’s a three-sided cherry blossom, will always have love in their lives.”
The sakura, or cherry blossom is the flower of the Geisha. When the young Maiko come out to showcase their spring matsuri dance, they are always waving the cherry blossom.
Cherry blossoms are so revered that they are floated in tea or served with dinner and desert.
The best kind of snow to fall in Northern Japan’s Hokkaido is perfumed snow.
Fun Facts
Washington DC’s Cherry blossoms came from a gift in 1912 from Japan.
Cherry blossoms come in a range of colors from pinks, to deep magentas to whites and peaches.
The cherry blossom is hardy enough to bloom in the snow covered lands of Northern Japan.
Cherry blossom viewing parties are called Hanami and everyone get’s out to enjoy the scenery.
Cherry blossoms are edible.
jmledwellwrites 
April 2, 2014 at 10:37 pm
i love cherry blossoms too…but trust me, I am going to see them with a new found awe from now on…beautiful post..
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April 2, 2014 at 10:44 pm
Awe! Thanks, I wish I was in Kyoto! Thanks for stopping by.
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April 3, 2014 at 7:52 am
Wonderful post. Love the depth of meaning this one flower hold. Thanks for sharing š
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April 3, 2014 at 6:15 pm
Thanks Elsie, glad you approve!
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April 3, 2014 at 4:07 pm
I do love cherry blossom trees – they’re such a lovely pop of pink! And kimonos too!
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April 3, 2014 at 6:14 pm
Thanks you, I couldn’t agree more! Thanks for stopping by.
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April 3, 2014 at 4:40 pm
Reblogged this on Jari65 Blog.
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April 3, 2014 at 6:30 pm
I didn’t know they bloom for such a short amount of time! Now I want one with every cup of tea š
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April 3, 2014 at 6:42 pm
We’ll have the cup some day! : )
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April 4, 2014 at 8:54 am
The only time I have been to Japan was in April many, many years ago. I still remember how beautiful the cherry blossom was…the perfect time of the year to be there!
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April 4, 2014 at 6:58 pm
I know…it’s so dreamy it’s why I was inspire to write about Japan! Thanks for stopping by-hoping to get to Hokkaido next summer. Thanks for stopping by!
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March 4, 2015 at 11:16 am
[…] Photo via: jmledwellwrites.com […]
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