Sakura: the legend and spiritual significance of Japanese cherry blossoms

Spring in Japan coincides with Hanami, the festival in which the Sakura cherry tree blossoms. It is precisely the wonderful cherry blossoms that dye the Japanese country pink, let's find out more about this millenary tradition.

He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

THEhanami it is a millenary festival which, as we know, consists in spending days immersed in nature to witness the enchanting cherry blossom. In Japanese, 'hana' means flowers and 'me' is about to look, observe. For the occasion, we eat on the lawns and drink sake in the company of relatives and friends.

Read also: March, month of growth: the profound Japanese meaning, connected to hanami

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Sakura, the most beautiful varieties

Flowering begins in Okinawa and ends in Kyoto and Tokyo between March and April. The sakura is not only pink, but takes on really suggestive shades: in a few weeks it is a riot of colors ranging from pale pink to fuchsia to white. Clearly it all depends on the variety of flowers, the most common are the Somei Yoshino.

The Somei are so called because they were planted for the first time in the village of the same name; there are still the Prunus subhirtella autumnalis which, as the word itself says, bloom mainly in autumn and are also called winter sakura. But there is still a very long list, over a hundred, among the most beautiful are the yaezakura and shidarezakura which, to be clear, are those that bloom in cascades.

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Sakura, the largest tree

Being a millenary tradition, there could not be a particular sakura, much loved by the Japanese. It is Jindai Zakura which is located in Jissou Temple, is about two thousand years old and a trunk of almost 14 meters.

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Sakura, the symbolic and spiritual meaning

It is undeniable that the sakura is a wonderful flower, but the hanami also contains a symbolism that goes beyond beauty. The sakura blooms and fades in a few days so it represents the transience of life, fragility, but also the desire to savor every moment.

We look at the sakura with sadness, but also with emotion because celebrating the hanami in spring we speak of rebirth. It is no coincidence that cherry blossom has always been seen as a premonitory sign of wealth of the rice harvest, as a wish for prosperity. The Sakura is also a symbol of the qualities of the Samurai, that is honesty, courage, loyalty and purity. In Japan, sakura is also a feminine name.

Sakura, the legend

A beautiful one is linked to the Sakura Japanese legend which dates back to hundreds of years ago when peace was rare due to battles between fiefdoms. However, it is said that there was a wood where the war had not touched anything, there were trees, perfumes and animals. No warrior dared enter it to ruin nature. Right here was a tree that never bloomed and looked dead. In reality he was not but he was very sad and lonely because he could never enjoy the beauty of the colors of the flowers. The animals for fear did not approach, the grass around did not grow.

But one day, the wood fairy seeing so much loneliness was moved, approached him and said that he would cast a spell that would last 20 years. During this time, the tree would feel what the human heart feels. Perhaps he would get excited and find flowering.

The fairy told him again that he could transform himself into a human being and then back into a plant, but if at the end of 20 he failed to become viable, he would die forever. The tree turned into human, but at first it found only hatred and war. For this reason it often returned to being a plant, until as a man, walking he saw a beautiful girl. It was Sakura who was kind: they talked for a long time sharing dreams and hopes.

Read also: Yozakura: the wonderful flowering of Japanese cherry trees at night

When Sakura asked him what his name was, only one word came to the tree: “Yohiro”, which means hope. A deep friendship was born between the two and in a short time love blossomed. One day Yohiro confessed to Sakura all his love for him and her true nature. Sakura was impressed and remained silent. Time had passed and the 20-year deadline was approaching. Yohiro, who resumed the shape of a tree, felt very sad.

But Sakura confessed all her love to the tree. It was then that the fairy appeared again and asked Sakura to choose: remain human or merge with Yohiro in the form of a tree.

She thought of hatred and war and decided to merge with Yohiro. And here the two merged and became one, and as if by a miracle, the tree blossomed. The word Sakura means "cherry blossom". Today their love flourishes in Japan.