Cherry Blossoms are  at the Heart of What it  Means to Be Japanese

Nihongo Spirit | 桜は日本人の心

Cherry Blossoms are at the Heart of What it Means to Be Japanese

The school year in Japan starts in April, so many people associate school entrance ceremonies with cherry blossoms. Quite a few schools have cherry trees planted in their grounds and these can often be seen floating in the background in commemorative pictures taken of parents with their children. Some people sense a mother’s warmth in these gorgeous cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms are sometimes considered to be a symbol of romantic feelings. The poet YOSANO Akiko composed the following: “Early evening moon, Over the flowering field, I felt somehow, He was waiting for me, And I came.” In the following military song, beautiful cherry blossoms falling after a mere week are compared to soldiers going off to the battlefield: “You and I are cherry blossoms of the same year …, Once we bloom, we are ready to fall, Let’s fall beautifully for our motherland.” The next poem, attributed to the Zen master and priest Ryokan, is a well-known masterpiece about the meaning of life. “Cherry blossoms are falling, Those that remain are also fated to fall.” The cherry blossom is a flower of both beauty and transience, a flower that reflects the delicate feelings of the Japanese people.

日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
no
in
学校がっこう
gakkou ha
(the) school (year)
4月しがつ
shigatsu
April
ni
in
はじまり、
hajimari,
starts
入学式にゅうがくしき
nyuugakushiki
school entrance ceremonies
えば
to ie ba
[speaking of]
たくさんの
takusann no
so many
ひと
hito ga
people
さくら
sakura
cherry blossoms
wo
with
イメージいめーじします。
ime-ji shi masu.
associate
おおくの
ooku no
quite a few
学校がっこう
gakkou no
schools
校庭こうてい
koutei
(their) grounds
ni
in
さくら
sakura no ki ga
cherry trees
えられていて、
ue rarete ite,
have planted and
それをバックばっくに、
sore wo bakku ni,
in the background
親子おやこ
oyako ga
parents with their children
記念きねん撮影さつえいする
kinenn satsuei suru
in commemorative pictures taken of
風景ふうけい
fuukei ga
floating <scene>
られます。
mirare masu.
(these) can (often) be seen
さくら
sakura no
cherry blossoms
はなやかさ
hanayakasa
(these) gorgeous
ni
n
ははのぬくもりを
haha no nukumori wo
(a) mother’s warmth
かんじる
kannjiru
sense
ひともいます。
hito mo i masu.
some people
さくら
sakura ha
cherry blossoms
ロマンチックろまんちっく
romannchikku na
romantic
心情しんじょう
shinnjou
feelings
no
of
象徴しょうちょう
shouchou
(a) symbol
とされる
to sareru
considered
こと
koto
to be
もあります。
mo ari masu.
are sometimes
歌人かじん
kajinn no
(the) poet
与謝野よさの晶子あきこ
yosano akiko ha
Yosano Akiko
こう
kou
the) following
みました。
yomi mashita.
composed
「なにとなく
“nani to naku
somehow
 きみたるる
kimi ni mataruru
he was waiting for me
ここちして
kokochi shite
(I) felt and
でし
ide shi
(I) came
花野はなの
hanano
(the) flowering field
no
over
夕月夜ゆうづきよかな」
yuudukiyo kana”
early evening moon
きれいに
kirei ni
beautiful
いた
saita
(cherry) blossoms
あと
ato,
after
1週間いっしゅうかん
isshuukann
a week
ほどで
hodo de
mere
っていく
chitte iku
falling
さくらを、
sakura wo,
cherry blossoms
戦場せんじょう
sennjou
(the) battlefield
かう
ni mukau
going off to
兵士へいし
heishi
soldiers
とかさねた
to kasaneta
are compared to
軍歌ぐんかには
gunnka niha
military song
こうあります。
kou ari masu.
in the following
貴様きさま
“kisama
you
to
and
おれとは
ore to ha
I
同期どうき
douki
(the) same year
no
of
さくら
sakura
(are) cherry blossoms
いたはななら
saita hana nara
once we bloom
るのは
chiru no ha
to fall
覚悟かくご
kakugo
(we) are ready
みごとりましょ
migoto chiri masho
let’s fall beautifully
くに
kuni no
(our) motherland
ため」
tame”
for
ぜんみち
zenn no michi
(the) Zen master
きわめた
wo kiwameta
attributed to
僧侶そうりょ
souryo,
(and) priest
良寛りょうかん
ryoukann
Ryokan
によるものとされる
ni yoru mono to sareru
[is believed to be made]
つぎ
tsugi no ku,
(the) next poem
“chiru
(are) falling
さくら
sakura
cherry blossoms
のこ
nokoru
those that remain
さくら
sakura
cherry blossoms]
mo
(are) also
chiru
fated to fall
さくら」は、
sakura” ha,
[cherry blossoms]
いのちとは
inochi to ha
life
なにかを
nani ka wo
(the) meaning of
あらわした
arawa shita
[expressed]
名句めいく
meiku
(a) masterpiece
として
to shite
about
られています。
shirarete i masu.
(is) well-known
うつくしさ
utsukushisa
beauty
to
and
はかなさが
hakanasa ga
transience
同居どうきょする
doukyo suru
both
さくらは、
sakura ha,
(the) cherry blossom
繊細せんさい
sennsai na
(the) delicate
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinn
(the) Japanese people
no
of
心情しんじょう
shinnjou ga
feelings
かさなる
kasa naru
that) reflects
はな
hana
(a) flowe
でもあります。
de mo ari masu.
is

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