Sakura Cherry Blossom's History of 'Hanami' Culture
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Winter Wait
Japanese culture has spread cherry blossom trees across the globe both intentionally as a symbol of friendship, as well as through the clockwork charisma of its blossoms, anticipated by billions of humans and uncountable trillions of pollinators every spring.
Following a season of uncomfortable cold, cherry blossoms are the dawn chorus of springtime: sudden, fleeting, and orchestral, conducted by a celestial guide 8 light seconds away: our Sun.
Humans and trees must pay attention to the changing length of today in order to predict tomorrow’s temperatures in order to track and guess coming weather patterns.
Animals stock up on resources, trees shed delicate parts; animals find a warm spot, trees cover their roots.
Then everything waits.
Spring Satisfaction
After months of leafless landscapes, bare branches, and brown vistas; any sign of spring is a beautiful omen but cherry blossoms are the star of the show.
Daffodils in the UK, garlic in Iran, tulips in the Netherlands; everywhere has its traditional sign of spring.
For the Japanese, there was Sakura: the ornamental cherry blossom, which has now spread to be a global celebration of cherry blossom festivals.
3000 Gifts of Pre-War Sakura
3020 trees of 12 varieties were donated in 1912 to Washington DC by Tokyo, after an earlier attempt resulted in the hugely important gift being piled up and burned.
Since the second donation wasn’t riddled with invasive pests, America replied with an unspecified quantity of dogwoods, destroyed during World War 2 after America responded to the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese army.
America could only bring itself to vandalize 4 cherry blossoms four days after Pearl Harbour, renaming the remaining trees as: '“oriental trees” presumably to protect them, while also reflecting the loss of these tree’s association with international friendship.
Berlin Wall Replaced By Blossom Walk
In November 1989 a concrete effigy to conflict between nuclear-armed governments was brought down in front of a watching world, Japan included.
The Berlin Wall fell, Germans reunified, and cultural pollination returned.
Japanese citizens, via a TV show fundraiser, showed their support for this reunifying event by once again donating cherry blossom trees, which now populate many areas of Germany including parts once occupied by the Berlin Wall.
“Donated by Japan, cherry blossoms grace the paths where a wall once stood in Berlin. Walls divide. Flowers unite.”
Further reading: https://www.berlin.de/senuvk/umwelt/stadtgruen/stadtbaeume/en/sakura/index.shtml
Earlier Every Year
Every year, an overabundance of people flock to walk and picnic under cherry blossom trees which only flower for 10 days - give or take, depending on weather, wind, and wildlife.
The best spots are so precious you should be prepared to wake before dawn in order to secure your place at the many public parks around the world: Tokyo, Washington D.C, Berlin, etc
Otherwise, expect to pay exclusive prices at famous locations such as the Samurai District of Akita in order to be seated beneath rows and rows of some of the best cherry blossom blooms in the world.
That’s Hanami
Not just a trendy word borrowed from Japanese in order to sell self-help books in English; Hanami is already embedded in western cultures thanks to other cultural concepts we share: gifting, friendship, and conservation.
Hanami is about walking to, relaxing under, and viewing cherry blossoms; while eating pre-prepared food alongside family and friends, in order to fully appreciate the temporary nature of life.
Some specific inspiration for under-blossom activities include:
Eating cherry blossoms (sakura onigiri, made with salted cherry blossoms)
Chatting under the influence (sake, beer, cocktails)
Spring fruit (strawberries are popular, berries in general)
Tea (obviously)
