SAKURA

SAKURA at Ueno Park,Tokyo

The cherry blossom,or sakura as the Japanese usually call it,is the flower of any of several trees of the genus Prunus (plums,cherries,peaches,apricots,and almonds),that blooms in spring.Every year,the sakura blooms all over Japan from the end of March to early May.There is a Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of these flowers called hanami.The Japanese sit in a park with their family or friend-chatting,eating snacks and drinking together-while enjoying the magnificent view of the beautiful sakura.

On April,at the beginning of spring,I went to Ueno Park.It was really beautiful.Most of the trees there were cherry trees.Since it was early spring,it was the right time for the flowers to bloom,there were no leaves at all.So all the small branches were filled with white pinkish small flowers.They were cherry blossoms.The sight was really amazing and unforgettable.I was very lucky to visit Tokyo at the right time for viewing the cherry blossoms.

Cherry blososoms bloom only once a year,lasting for about two weeks.Then all the flowers will fall off,the leaves will start to grow again and the tree will be green for the rest of  the year until fall comes.In winter the branches will be bare without any leaves at all.Hanami is a very special event by spreading out a piece of 2x3 m blue canvas  under a cherry tree.Each deputy will pick a site and guard it from early in the morning.In the afternoon the other members of the group will come after  school of office hours and join the first person under the cherry tree.They will bring drinks such as tea,coffee or sake (a Japanese alcholic beverage).

I saw a few people layind down on the canvas reading novels/books.I walked around on the paths in the center of the park where a lot of people also were strolling enjoying the cherry blossoms.The park was very clean.A large section was filled with big garbage cans with a different label on each.They were for empty bottles,plastics bags,paper,dry or wet things.Visitors put their litter in the proper can.Cleaning – service officers stood by ready to empty any full garbage can.How disciplined the Japanese people were! No wonder everywere it was clean.I also saw some policemen walking around inspecting the park.Fascinated by the cherry blossoms,I passed up the chance to visit temples,museums,and zoo which were located in the park,too.

Time went very fast.Two hours had gone so quickly.A chilly wind that blew in the afternoon made me aware of the time.It had became colder in the park,I had to leave the park to visit other places.Goodbye,cherry blossom,and sayonara and Ueno Park!