Author(s): MIZUNO,HIDEHIKO

Gardening / Flora

This title captures the essence of Japan's ancient symbol of mortality amidst Kyoto's beauty. Cherry trees, symbol of the Japanese spring, flower in a riotous blaze of glory from late March through early April, suffusing the surrounding landscape with springtime colour. The peak cherry-viewing season, however, is extremely short, blossoms scattering without trace in little over a week. Despite the fleeting nature of the spectacle, cherry blossoms have occupied a special place in the hearts of the Japanese since earliest times. Doing its utmost to dazzle during its short life before gracefully bowing out, cherry blossoms are seen as an ideal model for life and death, and a symbol embodying both the glorious and ephemeral natures of human existence. As such, over the centuries they have provided inspiration for poets, painters, and many other artists. Identifying in nature a sublime spirituality transcending external beauty, and elevating that spirituality to an art form lies at the core of Japanese culture. For over a millennium, the city of Kyoto has made this aesthetic sensibility its own.