"Hanami(cherry blossom viewing)" Hanami is an annual event unique to Japan. When the season of cherry blossoms arrive, people go to scenic spots or parks where they can enjoy admiring cherry blossoms in full bloom, sit under the trees, drink alcohol, eat boxed meals, and sing songs, holding outdoor parties. Every year many people are looking forward to having a good time with his/her family, friends, or colleagues. There are more than 300 kinds of cherry blossoms, and among them, type called Someiyoshino is by far the most popular., The day when someiyoshino begins to bloom is called kaikabi (the first day of bloom), and a cherry blossom front, which indicates kaikabi, starts moving up from the southern end to northern tip of Japan from the end of March through May. There are several stories about the origin of hanami. I picked up two stories regarding the origin.One of the origins is said to be Utagaki in the period of the Manyousyu (The Ten Thousand Leaves which contains verses, chiefly the 31-syllable waka <poem> : late 8th century). Utagaki was a custom brought from China, which was conducted in spring fields by young men and women, with the people composing and exchanging a gift of a tanka(poem) to each other, to be in deeper acquaintance. It is said that hanami became one of the important imperial events and the imperial members came to appreciate cherry blossoms during the rule of Saga emperor in the Heian period (794-1185). Another perspective about the origin is that hanami originated in agricultural culture. In the old days, farmers used blooming cherry blossoms as a sign for rice , and at the fall of blossoms, they predicted the time of harvest for the year. In other words, cherry blossoms, which always bloom before farm work, represented an agricultural calendar. At that time cherry trees were believed to house the God, and people would often offer servings of food and sake (a fermented alcoholic drink),making a prayer to the God of good crop while looking up toward the tree. In addition, if cherry blossoms fell earlier than usual, it meant a decline of the God's power and implied a bad crop in autumn, so people held a drinking party to appease the God and prayed to a lasting blossoms. Thus the story is handed down through the generations as the origin of hanami. During the Edo period, hanami was separated both from public events of aristocracy and agricultural ceremonies, and it became an event of common people. The Edo government planted cherry blossoms on a large scale for the purpose of city planning, and scenic spots of cherry blossoms were created. This event has become popular and continue to this day to the form we know now as Hanami. A good chat with the friends while drinking and eating under the cherry blossoms lets you forget about the hectic lifestyles of an urban city. People who usually spend their time in closed places including modern buildings or offices would feel so all the more. Hanami event is something that is always looked forward to, for all kinds of people in Japan. （end） |