Japan travel destinations as cherry blossoms light up, as a prism from which to refract the essence of this Buddhist country. Being there during Cherry Blossom (aka Sakura) Season opened my mind to the infinite possibilities of their pink splendor. It’s possible to ride the delicate wave of “Kaika” or full bloom for 3 months throughout this archipelago. Sakura Season begins in February on the tropical island, Okinawa. It lasts until May in the northernmost island, Hokkaido. I blissfully experienced many moments of pink glory, as an Acupuncturist-at-Sea from March to May in Japan, connecting me to the quintessence of this culture.
The ephemeral nature of Cherry Blossoms is a rich symbol, that associates with Japan’s Buddhist influence. They embody the concept mono no aware or the transience and impermanence in the blossom’s short-lived, graceful beauty. In Japan, cherry blossoms also symbolize clouds because they bloom en masse. The Sakura motif blooms throughout the culture in Art, Manga (graphic novels) and films. In the 2003 movie, The Last Samurai, Katsumto says in the first scene: “A perfect blossom’s a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for them and it would not be a wasted life.” Interestingly, I seemed to entangle with this attachment, as this character, following a path to his similar, final realization. (You need to read the entire blog or watch movie to find out.)
