Features of Japanese cherry sakura. White cherry blossom petals fly into the sky to return
» Cherry varieties
The double-flowered forms of East Asian species of small-serrate cherry are known under the general name "sakura" or Japanese cherry. Japan is considered the distribution area and homeland of exotic plants.
The trees belong to the rose family, are fast-growing and reach a height of 20 meters in their natural environment. Modern selection includes about 400 varietal options.
The breeding of garden varieties is based on grafting and crossing cultivated species with sharp-serrated wild cherries.
Characteristic of sakura spreading round crown. Its bark is brownish-red in color and covered with a network of small cracks.
Oval leaf blades with jagged edges change color in the fall, ranging from dark purple to brown. The fruits are not suitable for eating Therefore, sakura cherries are classified as ornamental plants.
East Asian cherries have gained worldwide fame for their colorful blooms. The petals of the plant have shades of white and pink. There are species with yellow, red and crimson tassels.
During the period of their blossoming in Japan, working days are canceled and the national holiday Hanami is declared.
The meaning of the plant for the Hanami holiday
According to one version, the sakura petals were stained reddish with the blood of family members of one of the village elders.
After he showed the ruler the scars on the backs of his children due to the cruel treatment of the princely servants, the latter flogged them to death on the top of the mountain where the cherry trees grew.
The fallen petals turned pink with bloody stains. Now they symbolize the fragility of children's destinies in the modern world.
Hanami celebrations are symbolically carried out in a family atmosphere. The duration of the process depends on the flowering period of the legendary cherry.
Each tree blooms for several days: earlier or later - depending on the type. As a result, a chain is formed - the fading plants pass the baton to the blooming ones.
Japanese media notify residents in advance about the expected time of cherry blossoms and its duration: many prefer to travel around the country in order to catch the grandiose spectacle more than once.
Traditionally Hanami falls at the end of March or beginning of April.
Main varieties
Kiku Shidare
The most suitable variety of garden finely serrated cherry for steppe and forest-steppe zones with moderate continental climatic conditions. Healthy trees grow to a height of 4 m, with an annual growth of about 30 cm.
The crown of Kiku Shidare plants is spreading and prone to thickening. The leaf blades have an elliptical shape with small frequent notches along the cut and a relatively large size (7-9 cm).
The decorative feature of the kiku shidare is in the early extended flowering period (end of March – first ten days of April). Clusters of large-diameter (5-7 cm) densely double pink flowers are numerous and abundantly cover the branches.
Self-fertile variety. With qualified care, a single planted tree blooms and bears fruit intensively.
For growth, it prefers sunny areas on sandy-clayey, alkaline or neutral soils. The abundance of flowering depends on the regularity and timeliness of fertilizing with superphosphates.
Kanzan
This finely serrated tree-like variety of garden sakura is lower than its decorative counterparts (up to 10 m in height for an adult tree). The crown shape is obverse conical. Because of this, Kansan is recognized as an exotic and creative decoration for suburban areas.
The growth rate of trees of this variety is average. The foliage of the elongated oval shape becomes fiery yellow with the arrival of autumn.
Sakura Kanzan blooms with massive fragrant pink flowers, which are grouped into hanging elongated inflorescences of 3-6 pieces. Flowering time is average.
The plant loves light and gives priority to neutral or highly alkaline soils.
Planting and growing
To plant decorative sakura you need choose a lighted and ventilated area without stagnant moisture during periods of floods and rains. The best choice would be hillocks and elevations.
When choosing a landing site, it is necessary to strike a balance between light transmission (sakura does not like shadows) and the absence of strong winds. A wall-mounted option may be ideal.
It is recommended to opt for grafted seedlings, which are traditionally purchased in the fall and aged until the spring thaw in humidified spaces at room temperature. Before planting, the plants must have a height of about 1.5 meters, a mature trunk and a formed root network.
It is preferable to plant in late autumn or early spring., before the swelling of the buds, at a stable warm temperature. Simultaneous planting of several seedlings ensures a greater degree of abundance of flowering and fruit formation in the future.
Plants should be planted at a distance of 1.5-2 m from each other and a row spacing of 2.5-3 m.
Holes for planting must be prepared in advance. It is advisable to place in them a mixture of the upper fertile layers of soil and humus.
Immediately before planting, it is necessary to fertilize the soil with 15-18 liters of potassium sulfate solution with the addition of superphosphates. The root collar cannot be covered with soil..
At the end of planting, the tree trunk area is watered and carefully mulched with humus or a thin peat layer of 4-5 cm.
At the initial stage of tree growth, caring for the tree trunk should be careful and thorough. Damage to the root system and quickly remove weeds. In this case, the sakura will strengthen faster and survive the winter without damage.
Features of care
Successful growth of sakura is possible with proper care and creating optimal development conditions. Systematic drainage and regular fertilizing promote the growth of a healthy tree.
The condition of cherries is largely influenced by the nitrogen and potassium content in the soil. Their deficiency is fraught with manifestations of acute reactions of sakura: poor flowering and premature shedding of foliage.
Soil depletion is eliminated by adding humus and compost (6-8 kg) under each root. Chemical fertilizing is carried out with a solution of the necessary elements at the rate of 15-18 g for one square meter of the tree trunk zone.
Several abundant waterings of sakura are acceptable during the active growth stage. The rest of the time it is enough to maintain the natural balance of soil moisture. Excessive hydration leads to low bud formation, poor flowering and shredding of petals.
Before the start of sap flow in early spring dry and damaged branches are cut out and the crown is thinned.
Mature plants are frost-resistant, and young trees successfully winter in a covered form. Before the start of the cold season, the scion sites, trunks and bases of large branches are wrapped in agrofibre or improvised materials that do not create a greenhouse effect.
During the growing season cherry blossoms are sprayed with chemicals: primary - before the start of flowering, secondary - after a month after the berries set.
Trimming
Removing affected and dried branches, sprouts that interfere with comfortable light absorption and sufficient air exchange, is carried out in early spring, before the start of sap flow.
Fragments with traces of the activity of harmful organisms must be cut out and burned.
The cut areas should be treated with garden varnish.. It is important to ensure that gum does not form at the cut site. The appearance of sticky growths is excluded in case of proper drainage and watering.
Diseases and pests
If sakura is exposed to harmful organisms, the intensity of flowering decreases, the petals wrinkle, and the tree develops behind the norm. Evidence of delamination of the bark and the formation of growths may be observed.
A common disease of sakura, like other cherry trees, is infection by a fungus that leads to drying of the foliage, blackening and mummification of the berries.
Spraying sulfur-coal powder can help the plant in this unpleasant situation. It should cover the affected segments and prevent further spread of fungal aggression.
Foliage that falls from unhealthy cherry blossoms, should not be left under a tree for the winter. Healthy and infected leaves and branches must be taken outside the site and burned.
This precaution helps prevent the spread of fungal diseases to neighboring crops.
The effect of combating pathogenic organic matter is enhanced by the use of insecticides. Restrictions on the use of chemicals are imposed for the period of flowering and fruit set. In case of urgent need, this rule can be ignored.
Growing one of the most spectacularly flowering plants on the planet on a personal plot is a feasible task and does not require excessive physical, material and emotional expenses.
The reward for your labors is the contemplation of the unsurpassed aesthetic impact of a natural miracle. Worth a try: The gurus of cherry blossoms, the Japanese, consider a person soulless if he is deaf to the manifestations of the surrounding beauties.
In the Land of the Rising Sun, great attention is paid to nature, in particular, when sakura blooms in Japan, the wonderful tradition of hanami, associated with admiring nature, gains strength.
A touch of spring
The whole country adopted this custom, which began in Shizuoka and Odawara. In the last decades of the 20th century, other countries in which this wonderful tree grows also adopted this custom.
Entire alleys are being created that acquire the status of landmarks. Magic days in Japan last a little over a week, after which the petals fall. If the weather is bad, this can happen in 5 days.
When cherry blossoms bloom in Japan, the air temperature is 18 degrees. Of course, the south and north of the state are somewhat different in temperature. In total, when answering the question in what month sakura blooms in Japan, you can take into account both the end of February and the entire spring period.
Efficiency and scale
This event is treated very responsibly; the news reports the duration of flowering for each territory. Photos of cherry blossoms in Japan are beautiful. In Tokyo, you can enjoy the spectacle as early as early April. Information is coming in about how many trees will soon be covered in soft white in every park. Many people go to Ueno, the most beautiful of parks, to see it, or to Shinjukugyoen.
In the latter you can see 1.5 thousand trees, divided into 75 species. This spectacle is incredibly impressive. When sakura blooms in Japan, there are a lot of visitors to the area, which is 626 thousand square meters. m. You can also look into the wonderful Sumida Park, where there are 400 trees. The lighting designed there creates a wonderful atmosphere.
Throwing away the vanity of the world
Japan highly respects its traditions. Cherry blossoms are a reason for employees of various companies to come out into the fresh air during the work process along with their colleagues and boss. Everyone knows about the advanced technologies of this country and its rapid progress.
Nevertheless, Japan is the land of cherry blossoms, and nature is given no less attention here than science. In an amazing way, the inhabitants of this state combine a love for natural goods and the ability to adapt the world around them to human needs.
When cherry blossoms bloom in Japan, people can stop for a while, relax and admire the beauty of the flowers. In European countries, for some reason, such simple little things are forgotten, although they are very important and, in principle, can bring joy no less than some expensive thing for which you tirelessly save for many months. People are increasingly accustomed to enjoying expensive toys that appear in television advertisements. But here everything is free and much more beautiful, more natural.
Order of celebration
The Japanese can only be praised and respected for such traditions. They set up tent cities in public gardens where you can buy food or drinks or children's toys. It's something like a fair. Everywhere you can see laid out mats and outdoor picnic lovers sitting on them. It happens that it is difficult to win for yourself a “place in the sun”, because the best positions are taken at night.
A plastic mat is laid out to symbolize the occupation of the area. People have a beautiful view at any time of the day, since there is lighting installed by the municipality. The most beautiful tones of flowers are shaded. Another interesting detail is the use of small flashlights (“right-appu”), creating illumination from below.
There are also taller lanterns that are decorated with washi rice paper. The lighting is very soft. Hanami held at night is called yozakura. A special relationship has developed with flowers that fall to the ground. They symbolize how the Japanese view beauty.
The point is that everything that pleases our eyes causes admiration, because its age is short-lived, and we need to appreciate those beautiful moments while it shines with splendor. Everything we get used to becomes part of everyday life, no longer having its former weight.
History of origin
Such a wonderful tradition arose when the imperial court was functioning, and this was in the 3rd century AD. The peak of its spread was the Heian era, when courtiers could be found spending a long time near trees dressed in delicate flowers.
Light drinks were also drunk, parlor games were played and beautiful poetry was written. The regenerating life itself was embodied in this ritual, which came to Japan from China, which the enlightened minds of that time looked up to in an early era. Sakura symbolizes the identity of the Land of the Rising Sun; it is its national symbol. Since 894, envoys were no longer sent to the Celestial Empire, and the state became more and more independent.
Philosophical meaning
The flowering period is very short, so it is important to take a little time to admire this stunning event. It makes you think about the eternal. In particular, about how fleeting life is, but at the same time beautiful, amazing and bright.
In addition, purity of thought and courage are glorified. During the Edo period, this custom became firmly established in the life and culture of the Japanese. Rice is planted at the same time. So it is also a symbol of the harvest, as well as regenerating nature, a new stage for the whole country.
People believed that flowers had a special spirit to which they made offerings. In parallel, culture developed, affecting this custom. Another peak for this custom is the Tokugawa era, when at the state level it was ordered to create cherry blossoms throughout Japan. In this way they wanted to strengthen national traditions. If before this custom was followed exclusively by aristocrats, now absolutely the entire people began to join it. So over time it was brought to the official level.
Significance
A very large hanami was held in 1598 by order of T. Hideyoshi, who was the military leader at that time. He achieved victory over the separatist princes and established unified control over the entire state. In honor of this triumph, a procession was organized in which 1.3 thousand people took part. They were moving towards Daigo Temple in Kyoto. This is where the cherry blossoms were celebrated. Many beautiful poems were written about this event and plays were staged in theaters. After this, the Japanese love for tradition became more and more strong.
These trees decorated the center of the political life of the state at a time when the Tokugawa shogunate ruled. They were, by special order, delivered by feudal lords who had to be citizens of Edo for at least a year. This was a period of discovery of new species obtained through crossing.
Japan has four seasons, including spring from March to May, and this article will provide information on the weather and events to take part in for those planning to visit Japan in the spring. We hope this will help you get the most out of your trip and attend festivals and other events that interest you.
Spring is an amazing time of year in Japan, the time of cherry blossoms, when the branches are covered with fresh foliage and everything plays with new colors, as well as the time to enjoy new seasonal dishes. Also, in Japan, a new school year and a new reporting period at enterprises begin in the spring, so spring is a time of interesting meetings and new acquaintances. We have collected and summarized some general information that will be useful to everyone who finds themselves in Japan in the spring.
What to pay attention to first and what to try?
Typically, the three months from March to May are considered spring in Japan.
In March in Tokyo, spring weather is characterized by temperatures of about thirteen degrees above zero during the day and about five degrees in the morning and evening. In April, daytime temperatures reach eighteen and a half degrees above zero, and morning and evening temperatures reach about ten and a half degrees. In May, you can expect twenty-three degrees during the day, and about fifteen in the morning and evening.
Despite the fact that it is spring, during the first half of the season the weather remains cool, sometimes it can snow, and only in the second half of the season warm and sunny days finally arrive.
The best aspects of spring
The best part of spring is undoubtedly the cherry blossoms. Sakura blooms everywhere - in parks, along roads, in the streets, in the mountains and along river banks. Sakura trees are planted in a variety of places and bloom soft pink at about the same time. The time of flowering depends on climate changes each year, but it mainly occurs in March - flowering takes effect gradually from the southern regions of Japan to the northern.
The average time for the onset of cherry blossoms in Hokkaido and Sapporo is approximately in the first days of May, it reaches its peak around the eighth to tenth. In the Tokyo area, sakura begins to bloom around the twenty-fifth of March and reaches full bloom by the sixth of April. In Osaka, sakura begins to bloom around the twenty-eighth of March, also reaching peak flowering around the sixth of April. In Kyoto, this period is designated as the period from the twenty-seventh of March to the ninth of April inclusive. In general, the entire time that the cherry blossoms are in bloom is not that long, so if you intend to catch the annual cherry blossoms, you should carefully plan your trip, taking into account the weather and the predicted timing of blooming for the current year.
Sakura is most beautiful, of course, in full bloom, but when the petals begin to fall, it is also very beautiful - it looks like a fantastic snowfall of incredible colors. You can admire the cherry blossoms not only during the day, but also in the evening. This pastime is called yozakura (yozakura) - night admiration of sakura, and can provide you with unusual and very different from daytime night views of sakura blossoms.
In Japan, hanami (sakura viewing) is a common activity for spending time with friends, family, even work colleagues. People gather together under cherry blossoms strewn with flowers, eat and drink, socialize and have fun.
Special spring food
Spring in Japan is the time for germination. Young bamboo shoots, young aralia leaves, Japanese butterbur and other greens like broccoli and baby cabbage, among many other types of food that you can only enjoy in the spring, are appearing on shelves and on menus. These products may have a bitter taste, but they are an excellent means of removing toxins and preservatives that the body has probably picked up over the winter.
And food like soft seaweed says better than any advertisement that spring has arrived in Japan. Also, there is another berry, by the presence of which you can say with complete confidence that spring has come, and this is strawberries (strawberries). There are many varieties of strawberries grown in Japan, all of them very sweet, and the dense berries sparkle like precious stones.
What to wear when traveling to Tokyo
March is a fairly cool month in Japan, so it's best to bring a coat. There are already more warm days in April. You will need a sweater or jacket, or a light raincoat for days with bad weather, when it is windy, or in case you decide to go out at night. In May the weather is much more pleasant and warmer. You will be quite comfortable in a long sleeve T-shirt and jacket.
Spring in Japan, and especially the period when the sakura blossoms, offers beautiful weather and stunning views, which is why many people advise visiting Japan at this time of year.
Enjoy spring in Japan with festivals and holiday celebrations.
Omizutori
Omizutori is held for two weeks, starting on the first of March, every year in Nara, at the Nigatsu-do Pavilion of the Todai-ji Temple complex. This celebration celebrates the arrival of spring and has been held annually since the eighth century. The festival reaches its climax at midnight on the twelfth of March (at about half past one in the morning on the thirteenth). The monks light large cedar torches and carry them to the Wakasa well, from where they draw water (according to legend, water appears in this well only once a year) and offer it to Bodhisattva Kannon (goddess of mercy), and then offer it to everyone who came to the ceremony.
This is a very spectacular festival and is worth attending from start to finish. But whatever the case may be, make sure you're dressed warmly enough for the chilly March night.
Hina Matsuri - Puppet Festival
Held on the third of March, the Hina Matsuri, or Doll Festival, is one of Japan's most impressive spring festivals. Originally a ritual in which people prayed for health for their daughters, these days parents with girls in their families display impressive installations of traditional dolls dressed in aristocratic outfits and seated on a multi-tiered stand. These hina dolls represent the imperial family and court circles of the Heian era. In addition to the dolls, the house is also decorated with peach flowers and special dishes and drinks are prepared, including sweet white sake, sushi and clam chowder.
The Hokyo-ji Temple in Fukuki, also known as the "Temple of Dolls", houses the dolls that belonged to the female part of the royal family and puts them on public display every year from the first of March to the third of April. On March 1, from 11:00 to 11:30, in the main pavilion of the temple, decorated with traditional dolls, they play the biwa (a Japanese plucked string instrument, which is characterized by a special ringing timbre of the string, related to lute instruments) and dance.
Hanami - admiring flowers
Spring in Japan primarily means cherry blossoms. Few Japanese do not take part in hanami - admiring cherry blossoms. The short period of time during which the delicate blossoms begin to open lasts only a few days, turning the places where cherry blossoms grow into quite popular places to visit. Such places very quickly become filled with people who like to admire the beauty of blooming flowers; they come here with their families, friends or work colleagues.
School opening ceremony
While in Europe the beginning of the school year is associated with autumn, in Japan the ceremony for the beginning of the new school year is held in April, and it is called nyūgakushiki (nyugakushiki). A similar ceremony is held for newly admitted college and university students, also in April. Even the new reporting period for enterprises in Japan begins in April. The ceremony of the first day of school in schools is held as a holiday, it is shown on television, paying enough attention to the cherry blossoms in the schoolyards.
Yabasume Shinji
Yabasume Shinji is an event in which archers shoot at targets while riding galloping horses; It is held every year on the third of May on the grounds of Shimogamo Temple, located in the Sakyo area of Kyoto. The sight of these archers, dressed in old-fashioned noble dress and shooting at three targets from a hundred meters, right at full speed, can really be impressive. The event is held from 13:00 to 15:30, and is open to everyone, admission is free.
Aoi Matsuri
Aoi Matsuri in Kyoto is one of the three largest festivals along with the Gion Festival and the History Festival. About five hundred people in elegant robes, accompanied by several horses, cows and oxcarts, walk about eight kilometers along the road leading from the Kyoto Imperial Palace to Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine. The procession leaves the Imperial Palace at 10:30 am and arrives at Kamigamo Shrine at approximately 3:00 pm. The event may be rescheduled in case of rain.
Tango no Sekku - Boys' Festival
On May 5th, the so-called Boys' Festival - Tango no Sekku - is held. Traditionally, this holiday is dedicated to boys. Since 1948, the holiday has been proclaimed national, and has also become known as Children's Day.
In houses where there are boys, the facades are decorated with koinobori (a banner with the image of a carp). Koinobori represents the spirit of the carp, which in Japan is considered a symbol of success and vitality.
Don't deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying spring to the fullest by joining in the celebration of these wonderful events during your trip to Japan!
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Sakura in Japan begins to bloom in April, when students return to school and adults return to work after the holidays. Japan's National Meteorological Service even tracks traffic " sakura front”, which is an imaginary line running from south to north and predicts the blooming of flowers. The estimated dynamics of flowering are reflected in “ sakura calendar».
The ancient Japanese tradition of hanami - holding a picnic under a tree - is associated with cherry blossoms. Sakura has become an integral symbol of Japanese art and modern aesthetics. Although this tree grows in China and Korea, it is generally associated primarily with Japanese culture. Therefore, sakura often accompanies the Japanese diaspora in cities around the world.
Sakura is beautiful wherever it grows. It does not bloom for long, but you can admire the photographs all year round.
Hanami's Joy
Sakura blooms tenderly
The heart is on fire
In search of the spirit
My beloved has chosen
Way of the Samurai
I didn't see any tears
And leaving into the sunset
He smiled at me
White sakura
Petals fly into the sky
To return.
Kitsune Miyato
Sakura blossoms around
Her aroma floats in verse
Yellow wine lies dormant in the vessel.
Miter
Where have you gone, my heart?
Wait! Mountain cherries
They will fall asleep - you again
You will return to your home.
Saigyo
There are no strangers between us!
We are all each other's brothers
Under the cherry blossoms.
Kobayashi Issa
Oh, if only in our world
The moon was not hiding in the clouds,
The cherries weren't flying around!
Then I would live in peace,
Without this eternal anxiety...
Saigyo
In my native country
Cherry blossoms
And there is grass in the fields!
Cherries at the waterfall...
To those who love good wine,
I'll take the branch as a gift.
ISSA
Joy in the soul.
I see cherry blossoms in the valley
I'm going to admire the flowers.
I will extend my life...
Miter
Oh, how many of them there are in the fields!
But everyone blooms in their own way -
This is the highest feat of a flower!
BASHO
The rain is tired
The clouds flew away beyond Fuji.
Sakura blossoms.
Miter
Cherry blossom buds,
Hurry up and smile all at once
To the whims of the breeze!
Basho
Cherries have the same color
And the same aroma
Just like last year,
What about me?
Why have I changed so much?
Ki no Tomonori
Cherry blossom
In the distance I can see the sleeves
Heavenly fairies
Wavering on the Furuyama slope
In the rays of spring dawn?...
Fujiwara no Teika
The cherries had the same aroma and color...
And how then, in a long past year,
They are blooming now!
But I'm already different...
Many years have passed and I am no longer the same...
Ki Tomonori
Years pass and the sadness grows stronger,
It became a habit to indulge in sadness.
After all, there is no such spring,
If only I didn't feel sorry
Say goodbye to spring flowers.
Izumi Shikibu
That's right, cherry blossoms
They gave me their coloring
To the voices of nightingales.
How tender they sound
At the spring dawn!
Saigyo
Spring fog, why did you hide it?
Cherry flowers that are now flying around
On the slopes of the mountains?
Not only the shine is dear to us, -
And the moment of fading is worthy of admiration!
Tsurayuki