Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)

[CoolNard]

Well, this thread is full of it

^_^ Lalala, just felt like reviving this old thread back up to refresh everyone here who has been working so hard to provide useful tips and information on Japan! Thank you!

[Sutiiven]

Wow cool nard nice thread you always come up with the interessting threads

[samokan]

Originally Posted by CoolNard

Well, this thread is full of it

^_^ Lalala, just felt like reviving this old thread back up to refresh everyone here who has been working so hard to provide useful tips and information on Japan! Thank you!

hey youre back..

ive made a photo blog of the places ive visited, still need some updates though.. drop by if you have the time..

Maniniyot

see yah around

[CoolNard]

Originally Posted by samokan

hey youre back..

ive made a photo blog of the places ive visited, still need some updates though.. drop by if you have the time..

Maniniyot

see yah around

Holy mackerelman! Samo-san, your website rules! It's gonna turn everyone into otaku at this rate xD

I'm so gonna deck myself in one of those vibrant kimono O_O Might pass off as a lil lady and a cute one at that =D
Cosplayers... hmm... Though L's the easiest, that guy's good. I have to say the pair of Athrun and Lacus doesn't really leave much of an impression.. or if it does..
Gotta love the ice-sculpture of the geisha and the architecture of the "Rose Garden" thing too. ^^

~~~~~~~~~~ On a more relevant note ~~~~~~~~~~~

Location(L) Opening(OP) Estimated Best Viewing(EBV)

L: Tokyo OP: March 27 EBV: April 2 - 11
L: Kyoto OP: March 31 EBV: April 6 - 15
L: Niigata OP: April 12 EBV: April 18 - 25
L: Nagano OP: April 17 EBV: April 23 - 30
L: Kanazawa OP: April 7 EBV: April 13 - 21
L: Nagoya OP: March 29 EBV: April 4 - 13
L: Osaka OP: April 1 EBV: April 6 - 15
L: Nara OP: April 3 EBV: April 8 - 17
L: Hiroshima OP: March 31 EBV: April 5 - 14
L: Fukuoka OP: March 28 EBV: April 3 - 12
L: Kagoshima OP: April 1 EBV: April 6 - 14

Acknowledegements: Cherry Blossoms (Sakura)

P.S. hopefully I posted this in time, or..? ^^;

[xYinniex]

sakura blossum is so pretty.
although the name 'sakura' is soo over-used. XD

Thanks for the info coolnard.
I totally want a small sakura tattoo on my back shoulder. XPP

[CoolNard]

Originally Posted by xYinniex

sakura blossum is so pretty.
although the name 'sakura' is soo over-used. XD

Thanks for the info coolnard.
I totally want a small sakura tattoo on my back shoulder. XPP

You're welcome, lol. ^^
Yeeeeaaah... Can't blame 'em though, there's always a justification behind something that's overused, sometimes in anime too. =P
e.g. it being pretty? Rofl... XD~!

Credits to AoshiShinomori for this one below:


Kuchiki Byakuya, one of the captains of the 13 shinigami squads from Bleach, performing his renowned sakura techniques, in the fight against the anime protagonist.


I wonder if a saukura tattoo would be too feminine for a guy? Tell me it isn't so! O_O

[xYinniex]

haha, well it's quite delicate flower isn't it.
You could do it, alot of girls like sensitive guys/ XDD

[heroinreyn]

Originally Posted by CoolNard

After briefly scanning through the various forums and threads, I've discovered that there aren't any threads on one of Japan's most beautiful traditional festivals, the cherry blossom O.o
According to my research, sakura basically means cherry blossom itself, hence the name.
The cherry blossom (sakura) is Japan's unofficial national flower. It has been celebrated for many centuries and takes a very prominent position in Japanese culture.

How it all began:

Japan is often referred to as the land of flowers. From ancient times the people of Japan have celebrated the Cherry Blossom Festival as O-hanami: Flower Viewing. Although many beautiful flowers are depicted in song, paintings and even kimono patterns, flower viewing has always meant the beautiful flowering cherry tree In the eighth century and earlier, the Japanese offered prayers while under the flowering cherry trees in a special ritual for the fertility of the earth. The Hitachinokuni Fudoki, an eighth century guide to famous places, describes singing and dancing among the flowers after climbing Mount Tsukuba. During the Heian period the imperial court held a banquet on the day of O-hanami to mark the change of seasons. Later in the Kamakura period (late 12th-14th c.), the warriors always considered the cherry blossoms the symbol of a life lived fully, no matter how short, and the ritual of cherry blossoms continued

Flower viewing in the Edo period (17th-19th c.) became a popular secular event among the common people, with much dancing, singing and drinking of sake. And today Japanese radio and television announce the Sakura Zensen or Cherry Blossom front, allowing revelers to travel from region to region, following the blooming trees. Usually, the Cherry Blossom front begins in Okinawa in the south in March. Then it sweeps northward in April and finally reaches Hokkaido in May. With more than 50 varieties blooming from March to May, the excitement mounts XD~! Millions of visitors travel to famous temples, gardens and scenic spots. Dance and music concerts feature the cherry blossom and celebrate spring with poetry competitions, calligraphy exhibits, and paintings that depict the viewing season. Picnics are also planned under the flowers by schools, companies and families to celebrate the short fleeting bloom of this popular symbol of Japan

When Japanese people immigrated to the Untied States in the late 19th century, they planted the flowering cherry trees wherever they lived. In 1911, the Japanese government sent thousands of cherry trees to Washington D.C. which were planted all around the Washington Tidal Basin. This gesture of friendship between the two countries began the first Sakura Matsuri or Cherry Blossom Festival in the United States. Other Cherry Blossom festivals are held throughout the country in Macon, Georgia; Tuscalossa, Alabama; Detroit, Michigan; San Francisco, California; and Brooklyn, New York. It is obviously a symbolic event that brings countries and people together.

Seattle’s Cherry Blossom Festival began when one thousand Cherry trees were sent by the Japanese government The trees were planted along Lake Washington Boulevard and Seward Park. The Seattle area is fortunate in the abundance of Japanese cherry trees it has in the parks and other public places. The Seattle Center, the Arboretum, the Japanese Garden, the University of Washington, Woodland Park, and the Seattle Buddhist Church Wysteria Plaza also have Japanese cherry trees. Arthur Lee Jacobs' "Trees of Seattle," tells you exactly where they are. You can have your own O-hanami (flower viewing) and then join the crowd at the Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival

This is just one of the many delights you'll be able to pleasurably experience while living in Japan.




For more details, you can visit: Cherry Blossom Festival - Japanese Cherry Blossoms

P.S. This thread is dedicated to all the older JF'ers: Avary_Ninja, Kainpendragon, CrimsonNataku, maks, Vesperd, kudo, Ash, GuitarisutoKao, etc etc, and especially to NinjaKasumi123 ^_^ Of course, the rest of the members are also welcome to visit this thread whenever you want =P
Enjoy!!! XD

i read on a website about how in japan flowers have meanings behind them.....you mentioned that long ago they felt the flowers represented having ;lived a full life.....would you say that's a pretty deepset cultural meaning.....or has the influence of the western world upon the modern culture affected what the cherry blossom represents?

[CoolNard]

Originally Posted by heroinreyn

i read on a website about how in japan flowers have meanings behind them.....you mentioned that long ago they felt the flowers represented having ;lived a full life.....would you say that's a pretty deepset cultural meaning.....or has the influence of the western world upon the modern culture affected what the cherry blossom represents?

In my humble opinion, which is pretty amateurish considering I have never set a foot in Japan, I would say the given association definitely originated from a long legacy of cultures. It might simultaneously have been, as you suggest, be imbued by Western nature.

Studies show that Hanami was introduced by the Chinese to Japan. From my sincere belief, the said depiction of the cherry blossoms was possibly impregnated with the saturation of the two cultures.

[MitcheruOtaku]

Thanks so much for the info and beautiful pictures! Someday I hope to see the cherry blossoms in Japan.
Here is a song about them from Angela Aki-
YouTube - Angela Aki - Sakura Iro
I love her music and a beautiful video!