You’d have to be pretty hard hearted to live in Japan and be
left cold by the sight of cherry blossoms. Whether the iconic pink tinged white
cherry blossoms or the deep pink pompom variety, the arrival of sakura marks a
very cheerful season in Japan. I miss sakura mochi (a kind of wagashi -Japanese
sweet) and the unmistakable flavor of the pickled cherry leaf, sakura
cheesecake at one of my favorite Tokyo eateries (Sakurajaya) and seeing the
beautiful graphics all around me. I dream of trying the fabled sakura flavored
drinks available at Starbuck’s in Tokyo.
Though I cannot enjoy all the perks of a Tokyo Sakura
Season, I still enjoy keeping the spirit in ways that I can. A few weeks ago I
visited Blithewold Mansion and Arboretum. The cherry blossoms were in full
bloom. Close to the shore there is a Japanese style garden with a beautiful
bridge, a stone lantern and beautiful plants.
The weeping willow (yanagi) makes me think of old Japanese
ghost tales. I almost expected to see some creature beckoning me. Several
cherry trees grace this area. I found sitting there brought me a breath of
fresh ocean air and peace.
Last weekend I attended The Greater Boston-Japan Cherry
Blossom Festival 2012 (http://www.japanfestivalboston.org/)
in Copley Square Park. The promotional material sounded wonderful – live
entertainment, a variety of Japanese food that is not always easy to find and
booths by organizations of personal interest. Unfortunately, the trees had blossomed
several weeks ago. There were no blooms that I could see, but the spirit
remained high. The turnout was so fantastic that it was an absolute crush.
While a larger venue or a smaller crowd would have made the event more optimal,
I really enjoyed the entertainment, seeing the crowd and discovering new
opportunities.
Many of the booths were offering ways to contribute to the
recovery of Fukushima. I was pleased to purchase this beautiful pin at one of
the booths.
This year I was aware of how many blossoming trees there are
in my daily experience. While my commute is fairly long, it is also a beautiful
road. I enjoyed seeing all the blossoming trees and was surprised to note how
many cherry trees I could find. This year I not only put time aside to
celebrate the season by viewing the flowers in a romantic location, but also
appreciate the ones I happened upon briefly. It is fitting as it is said that
sakura are so celebrated because they are the ultimate symbol of the ephemeral
nature of things – in full bloom one day and gone the next.