Sakura Thoughts

I saw that Shelley posted a few thoughts on Sakura here, and here.

This is probably the single best time to be in Japan, and while it is hard to plan to time a visit to see the cherry blossoms at their peak, it's well worth a trip. I think in many ways Japanese view cherry blossoms as a metaphor for life - in that it's delicate and fleeting yet inherently beautiful and should be celebrated.

On the flip side, sakura were used as a symbol in World War II to signify those young Kamikaze pilots who were flew suicide missions and never came back, essentially giving up their lives in their youth. In the same way, according to our friend and neighbor Walt, sakura symbolize the Japanese warrior, including the samurai, who are honored while dying in their youth in battle.

Despite the heavy symbolism, sakura season is a great excuse for the Japanese to party. As Shelley put it so eloquently, it's as if it's one big tailgate! And it's true. Walking through Ueno Park one night we saw thousands, literally, of people sitting on tarps on the ground, with their shoes off, underneath (mostly) the sakura trees, drinking heavily and eating. I would guess that these spots had been staked out for hours. Everyone seemed to be happy, even the homeless people in the park were happy collecting all the recyclable cans and bottles...it was payday for them. The daytimes were even more croweded families, friends and coworkers gathered to have "hanami parties" (flower viewing parties). Shelley remarked that it was one of the first times to see the Japanese cut loose like this and it was good for her to see that, I think. Seeing people get so excited about sakura showed a very human side to our adopted country.

And finally, we went to a park called Shinjuku Gyoen Park to get one last view of the sakura before the rains came and wiped all of the beautiful blossoms away. We happened upon a grove of trees that had shed half of its blossoms - which effectively covered the ground with what seemed like millions of white and pink petals. It was like snow, so peaceful and serene. The wind was blowing gently so you could pick up the blossoms and toss them in the air and they would float away. Anthon particularly liked that, though he would do more throwing at or mashing into people. Or he liked to try to eat the blossoms.

So if you have any desires to come visit us during the sakura season, it's normally the last week of March and the first week of April. Click on the links below to see pictures from our various sakura outings. Just be aware that pictures do not do this justice...sakura season is something to experience.

Showa Park, Ueno Park at night, Imperial Palace Moat, Shinjuku Gyoen Park

Masks

During the winter and early spring months in Japan it is common to see people walking around wearing what appear to be white surgical masks. These are worn for a variety of reasons, most notably by those who are either sick and don't want to infect others or those who aren't sick and don't want to be infected by those who are. No matter how stupid they make people look you find people all around town wearing these - from old guys to rather fashionable young women...at work, on the trains, walking around...everywhere.

To me wearing these masks is a very important statement about Japanese culture.
I really respect a culture where people by and large consider the feelings of others when they make a decision or a deliberate act. Certainly putting the group first over the individual has its downsides, but I think living in a city of 20 million people you have to make certain sacrifices just to get along in such cramped quarters.


There is speculation, however, that this is all one bizarre show of solidarity by millions of adoring fans of the one, the only, King of Pop. Certainly Michael Jackson has his legions of fans here in Japan. Or, could this be some trendy new fashion statement that could be sweeping the States come next fall? I hear gauze-padded surgical masks are the next fashion accessory to replace hand held Yorkies and Chihuahuas.

In the end, despite my desire to be Japanese, I can't quite get myself to don one of these masks in public. I think being a foreigner exempts me from a lot of societal norms - this being one of them. So much for my being considerate of others, my support for Michael Jackson or my keen, forward-looking fashion sense.