Sakura (桜), or cherry blossoms, are the tiny delicate pink flowers we see in spring. They usually bloom around March to April and live for about a short period only. For Japanese people, sakura symbolizes the wonder and fragility of life.
My first sighting of a sakura tree was unexpected. I was in Tokyo around the end of December 2017, and while strolling near The National Diet, my friend and I walked into a park, and we saw some blooms of the sakura.
I was in awe to see these pretty pinks.
It wasn't spring season yet, but my dream flowers were there. My friend also told me that it's rare to see sakura in winter, so it was an extra special moment for me.
After that, we planned a tour of Shizuoka. Shizuoka has one of the earliest-blooming and long-living sakura trees. They are called Kawazu-zakura, which grow in the town of Kawazu, located on the Izu Peninsula. They bloom around early February to early March.
People celebrate the flowering of the Kawazu-zakura trees through Kawazuzakura Matsuri (河津桜祭り).
Families, friends, and couples gather along the river of Kawazu to enjoy the scenic view of the trees.
There are also small food stalls near the area where people can enjoy sakura-flavored Japanese sweets.
Aside from the sakura trees, rape blossoms (nanohana, 菜の花) also add beauty to the place. It's lovely to see those pink and yellow flowers while eating oishii snacks with your loved ones.
Sakura flowers may be small, but they're a great reminder that life is gorgeous yet short, so we'd furthermore live our lives in a way that we cannot regret; love as we wish ourselves to be loved; laugh a day as if it is our last.
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