Japanese cherry, Sukaru or Prunus serrulata
The famous Japanes cherry flowers from march
until may in Japan. The flowers are arranged
in racemose clusters, producing a eye-catching
vieuw as the tree doesn't have leaves early
in spring.
Hanami or flower vieuwing.
The vieuwing of the flowering of the Sukara is
called Hanami. This is done in parks and around
castles, the Japanese people hold a procession
in the parks. A famous place for doing this is
Himeji castle. They also have picknic parties
until late in the evening, gathering with friends
and talkng, eating and drinking (sake and beer)
under the flowering Sakura: yozakura
Yozakura
At night the place is illuminated with
lovely paper laterns. This party is called
yozakura. The most well known spot to see
is Ueno Park in Tokyo, crowded with people
sitting under paper laterns and inviting you
to sit with them.
This is a perfect white flowering cultivar:
Sumei Yoshino. There are more then 300 cultivars
of the Japanese cherry tree or Sakura.
Kaika or opening of the blossom
The opening of the blossom is followed is great news,
and anticipated by all Japanese. The forecast of
Hanami is daily news. Kaika or the opening of the
blossoms in Tokyo has started when the flowering
of the cherry trees in the Yasukina
shrine starts.
Hira hira.
The snowfall of cherry blossom of the Sukara is
called hira hira. The whole proces of starting
flowering until hira hira takes less then 2 weeks.
If there are strong winds the whole proces
takes less then a week. Hira hira is name of an
endless amount of Japanes songs . As the whole
process of flowering is s symbol of the shortness
of live, Hira hira stands for the dying.
The Cherry blossom front.
Kaika or the starting of the blossoming is
indicated by the purple color,
Mankai or full blossom has a lighter color purple.
Hira Hira has the lightest color purple.
These are the avarage times given for kaika.
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