When March comes, everyone eagerly looks forward to the day when the cherry blossoms start to bloom. We spend the days with fidgeting and restless mind.
It's a shift of scenery from winter to spring.
On the thin branches spread to all directions, we find the first flowers blooming with joy.
Attracted by flowers, people go to walk under the cherry trees day and night
with family, with friends and with a lover.
People enjoy the arrival of spring that Sakura has brought.
If you walk under the full bloomed Sakura, you will smell gentle Sakura.
Cherry blossoms are soft, pink celestial maiden’s robe left on its tree and swaying
Cherry blossoms are pink tutu of ballerinas dancing in the wind
Cherry blossoms are ‘kanzashi’ or hair ornament decorating Maiko’s hair in Kyoto
Cherry blossoms are the pale pink clouds floating in the sky
Cherry blossoms of bunch bloom on the thin branches look as if floating in the air
source: image of Maiko, book cover of "Maiko tsurezure" by Miyauchi Katsuhiro
image of celestial maiden, wikipedia
When it is in full bloom and finishes blooming to the tips of the branches,
the volume of flowers increases even more.
Then the petals start to fall like snow falls.
This is the best moment I love!
Fallen petals make pink carpet on the ground and pink flower rafts on the water.
When the petals fall, the cherry blossoms begin to appear dark pink due to the color of the pistils.
Soon we see the green of the leaves come out.
Seeing this with our own eyes, our heart is filled with peace and calmness.
We appreciate the happiness that we could take in a scenic overlook of Sakura.
We say good-bye to Sakura wishing to meet again next year.
Japan is a land of Sakura from south to north.
Sakura has been admired more than a thousand years and will be loved forever.
*The "origami" Sakura are the works by my mother who loved folding-paper so much.