Sakura - Hanami

It's Spring...so get out and view those Cherry Blossoms!


"A lovely spring night
suddenly vanished
while we viewed cherry blossoms"

-Basho



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanami
http://www.asij.ac.jp/elementary/japan/hanami/hanami.htm
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2011.html
http://www.culturalsavvy.com/hanami_cherryblossoms.htm

sakura = cherry
hana = flower/blossom

hanami = flower festival

hanabi = fireworks display (always thought that connection was interesting....I can't look at fireworks now without thinking 'flower'...before I used to think of the word 'explosion'.)

another difference of perception between two cultures.

just remembered too...when the kids were growing up, in Japanese they called them 'hanabi'...in English they called them 'FlowahWorks'.

Quote:

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It's Spring...so get out and view those Cherry Blossoms!

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Any cultural tradition that involves getting drunk in public is A-ok in my book!