The legend of Japanese cherry blossoms

Little known story about cherry blossoms

There are many legends about cherry blossoms in Japan, passed down to this day, one of which comes from a story dating back thousands of years.

According to legend, once a young man was crossing the Sumida River in Tokyo, he met a beautiful girl standing on a boat. This girl was a fairy, named Konohana-Sakuya-Hime, the fairy of cherry blossoms.

'Love and Sacrifice': The Legend of Japanese Cherry Blossoms - 1 — Come to Japan and hear the story of cherry blossoms.

The boy and Konohana-Sakuya-Hime became friends and traveled together to a high mountain. When they arrived, Konohana-Sakuya-Hime asked the boy to cut down a cedar tree on the mountaintop. The boy did as he was asked and while cutting the tree, the boy discovered that the tree was actually a cherry tree, full of life and beautiful.

Then, the cherry blossoms bloom from the tree, bringing beauty and joy to Japan. This event is also considered an auspicious event and has been recounted through the generations to mark the arrival of spring and the revival of nature. In addition, cherry blossoms are considered a symbol of renewal, sophistication, joy, vitality, independence and adapting to the times.

In addition to the legend of Konohana-Sakuya-Hime and cherry blossoms, Japan Tours also has a number of other stories related to cherry blossoms, one of which is the love story of Queen Jingu and Emperor Chūai.

According to legend, Queen Jingu was one of the most powerful and talented queens in Japanese history. When Emperor Chūai died, Queen Jingu took over and ran the country. During that time, she fell in love with a soldier named Takenouchi no Sukune. After Takenouchi no Sukune died, Queen Jingu planted several cherry trees on his grave to commemorate her love.

There is also the story of Samurai Yoshitsune and the cherry blossom. Samurai Yoshitsune was one of the legendary generals of Japan, he fought in the Gempei civil war in the 12th century. According to legend, when Samurai Yoshitsune went to war, a woman gave him a cherry blossom and told him that this flower would bring him luck and success in battle. He kept this flower throughout the campaign and eventually won.

These stories also show the Japanese people's respect and love for cherry blossoms, and at the same time help these flowers become an important symbol of the culture and history of this country.

Japanese Hanami culture

Hanami is a traditional Japanese activity in spring, in which people enjoy the beauty of cherry blossoms and eat and have picnics under the cherry trees. Hanami has special historical and cultural significance for the Japanese, as it symbolizes the cruelty of time and the transience of life.

'Love and Sacrifice': The Legend of Japanese Cherry Blossoms - 2 — Unique Hanami culture of the land of the rising sun.

Hanami is held from March to April, depending on the cherry blossom season in each area. During this time, parks, gardens, streets and forests are decorated with beautiful cherry blossoms. Japanese people often spend an entire day enjoying the beauty of cherry blossoms and they often bring tables, drinks, and food to have a picnic under the cherry blossoms.

In addition to enjoying the beauty of cherry blossoms, Hanami also has an important spiritual meaning. Hanami helps Japanese people temporarily forget their worries at work, find peace and relaxation in natural spaces, creating community cohesion.

During Hanami, Japanese people also have the tradition of drinking sake and cooking some traditional dishes such as sushi, mochi and yakitori. In the old town areas, people often buy local specialties to eat during the festival. Entertainment activities such as karaoke, poetry reading and chess are also held to add to the fun and excitement for the participants.

Hanami is a beautiful tradition of the Japanese people, it shows their spirit of peace and love of nature. This is also an opportunity for the Japanese to enjoy the spring air and feel the renewal and freshness of life.