I love sakura. It is symbol friendhip and love.Japan gave 3,000 sakura trees as a gift to the United States in 1912 to celebrate the nations' then-growing friendship.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
SAKURA!
SAKURA
Sakura (Japanese kanji : 桜 or 櫻; katakana: サクラ; hiragana: さくら) is the Japanese name for ornamental cherry trees, Prunus serrulata, and their blossoms. Cherry fruit (known as sakuranbo) comes from a different species of tree. Sakura is also a given name. The word "sakura" becomes "zakura" when used in a compound word such as "shidarezakura".
HISTORY
Sakura is indigenous to the Himalayas, including northern India, and to east Asian states such as China, Japan and Korea. Japan has a wide variety of sakura; well over 200 cultivars can be found there.[1] Many were artificially hybridized or grafted by Japanese horticulturalists centuries ago.
SYMBOLISM
Whereas in China the cherry blossom symbolizes feminine beauty, the feminine principle, or love, in Japan the cherry blossoms are believed to exemplify the transient nature of life, because of their short blooming times. Cherry blossoms are an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life an aspect of Japanese cultural tradition that is often associated with Buddhistic influence, and which is embodied in the concept of mono no aware.The association of the Sakura with mono no aware dates back to 18th-century scholar Motoori Norinaga.The transience of the blossoms, the extreme beauty and quick death, has often been associated with mortality;for this reason, Sakura are richly symbolic, and have been utilized often in Japanese art, manga, anime, and film, as well as at musical performances for ambient effect. The band Kagrra, which is associated with the visual kei movement, is an example of this latter phenomenon. There is at least one popular folk song, originally meant for the shakuhachi (bamboo flute), titled "Sakura", and several pop songs. The flower is also represented on all manner of consumer goods in Japan, including kimono, stationery, and dishware.
Whereas in China the cherry blossom symbolizes feminine beauty, the feminine principle, or love, in Japan the cherry blossoms are believed to exemplify the transient nature of life, because of their short blooming times. Cherry blossoms are an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life an aspect of Japanese cultural tradition that is often associated with Buddhistic influence, and which is embodied in the concept of mono no aware.The association of the Sakura with mono no aware dates back to 18th-century scholar Motoori Norinaga.The transience of the blossoms, the extreme beauty and quick death, has often been associated with mortality;for this reason, Sakura are richly symbolic, and have been utilized often in Japanese art, manga, anime, and film, as well as at musical performances for ambient effect. The band Kagrra, which is associated with the visual kei movement, is an example of this latter phenomenon. There is at least one popular folk song, originally meant for the shakuhachi (bamboo flute), titled "Sakura", and several pop songs. The flower is also represented on all manner of consumer goods in Japan, including kimono, stationery, and dishware.
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