Cherry Blossom Time

The cherry blossoms bloom only for a week or so near the end of March or beginning of April. For weeks prior to their blooming, the nightly news offers a cherry blossom report: they examine buds every night and offer updated predictions on the exact days of blooming in different regions of Japan. There is also a pilgrimage of sorts to follow the blooming of cherry blossoms from south to north as the warm weather comes. Cherry blossom time is celebrated by afternoons off work to picnic and drink heavily under the trees. The cherry blossom flower (sakura) is also used as a symbol in tattoos by the Japanese mafia (yakuza) because of its short but glorious life.

Tuesday May 3, 2005

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