Spam From Japan

A post on What Japan Thinks dared to ask whether cherry blossoms are overrated.

My memory of cherry blossom in England is quite different from those created in Japan. I remember being in St. James Park and my parents asking me if the tree next to us was sakura, as they knew I was “into Japanese culture” (as we anime fans like to put it). It had the distinctive pale pink petals, but it didn’t seem special.

Fast-forward to one of my first trips to Japan, which coincided with spring. I was fascinated by the various photoshoots for advertisements that were going on around Ueno Park, with the photographers holding up big silver foil plates to reflect the light. More importantly, they were gathering up the petals so they could scatter them over the model and in front of the lens. Yes, I was fascinated by the lies being created as I watched. The blossoms didn’t make a big impact though.

Spring in Japan has a place usually occupied by summer in Western countries which follow the September-August school year. For many of us who attended school in these countries, long summer days are linked to nostalgia, saying goodbye to friends and growing up. In Japan, where the school year runs from April to March, the memories of ‘our last time together’ are centred around the beginning of spring. The fleeting nature of the blossoms combines with the bittersweet memories of school entrance and graduation ceremonies.

Sakura are a timebomb. All this time you’ve been walking past a perfectly nondescript tree then — suddenly — they explode into white-pink fluffiness. The sheer volume of petals changes the scenery entirely and makes Japan look like a new world. That brings us to why cherry blossom in Japan is better than in England. It’s all in the planning. Throughout the year, Japanese streets are lined with millions of ordinary-looking trees just waiting to hulk out and become something extraordinary. The effect of these trees en masse, unlike the handful of trees back in England, is amazing.

You might be able to tell what side of the argument I come down by now. There is certainly a dark side to cherry blossoms which comes in the form of hanami (holding a party underneath the trees). This often involves compulsory drinking, dealing with crowds and piles of rubbish, but should be considered separately from the beauty of sakura. Have a look at some more of my photos below (click to enlarge) or check out some blog posts I liked on the subject.

Blog posts:
Flower Power Hanami-Style at JapaneseCultureGoNow! (A more pop culture take on cherry blossoms)
Hanami in Yokohama at Going Loco in Yokohama (Cherry blossom amidst European-style architecture in Yokohama)
Inokashira Creepy at A Canadian’s Adventures in Tokyo (Cherry blossom lit up at night)