The Washington D.C. Cherry Blossoms were given to America as a gift from Japan as a token of friendship. This historical gesture of friendship renewed the value of these ephemeral, fragile, blossoms that stemmed from the ancient Japanese custom of Hanami, and has transcended throughout history and the world, and has ultimately come to represent the meaning of international relations around the world.
When one hears the word’s “cherry blossoms”; an image of beautiful, delicate pink flowers flourishing from a cherry tree come to mind. These fragile blossoms hold deep traditional and cultural value throughout the world. Especially, through out Asia, and more specifically, Japan. Their ancient custom Hanami, or flower viewing, can be traced back to the Nara Period of Japan (710-794 A.D.), Originally, Apricot blossoms, or Ume, were the preferred flower to Sakura, cherry blossoms, which stemmed from the vast cultural influence that China had over Japan at the time (Conan 253). However, during the Heian Period (794 -1192 A.D.), Japan gradually gained cultural independence, and eventually detached from Chinese influences all together. Similarly, the preference towards cherry blossoms grew, until Sakura became synonymous with Hanami (253).
By the middle of Heian era, the word Hana or “flower” was almost always automatically associated with Sakura. The practice of Hanami was believed to have originated as court custom; also known as “Hana-no-En” or “flower banquet”, in which or great parties and picnics with Sake, “rice wine” would be held under these beautiful blossoms. Initially, it was used as a source of enjoyment and was restricted only to nobles (“Bite Japan”). However, it has also been theorized, that long before the Nara period, ...
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Much of what is considered modern Japan has been fundamentally shaped by its involvement in various wars throughout history. In particular, the events of World War II led to radical changes in Japanese society, both politically and socially. While much focus has been placed on the broad, overarching impacts of war on Japan, it is through careful inspection of literature and art that we can understand war’s impact on the lives of everyday people. The Go Masters, the first collaborative film between China and Japan post-WWII, and “Turtleback Tombs,” a short story by Okinawan author Oshiro Tatsuhiro, both give insight to how war can fundamentally change how a place is perceived, on both an abstract and concrete level.
Lehner, Ernst, and Johanna Lehner. Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Trees. New York: Tudor. 1960
When most American people think of Germany, they think of sports cars made for the autobahn, sauerkraut, Adolf Hitler, and the Holocaust. Compared to Germany, when most American people think of Japan they think of sushi, Godzilla movies, Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. World War II was such a significant event in history that almost 70 years after it came to an end, today’s younger generations often associate former Axis controlled countries with the war. People around the world are filled with disgust and immense hate when they hear the name Hitler, mainly because of his leadership under the Holocaust; which was the discriminatory mass genocide of 11-17 million people, the vast majority of which were European Jews. Hirohito, former Emperor of Japan, should strike a similar bell with people when they hear his name because Japan carried out genocide on Chinese civilians and soldiers in World War II. Japan’s attack on the Chinese city of Nanking, was one of the most atrocious events in history. This event has been named both the Nanking Massacre and the Rape of Nanking. The torturous, violent techniques used by the Japanese army upon Chinese civilians and soldiers including dehumanizing them, addicting them to drugs, and other perverse and violent acts, are some of the most grosteque methods ever recorded that could only be thought of by sadistic Japanese soldiers. The events committed by the Japanese army in Nanking, are equally as disgusting as the acts that Nazi Germany committed and should become a major topic involved with World War II in the future, despite the lack of light shed on it in the past for various reasons.
Stories about war and implements of such can be observed throughout the course of Japanese history. This shows the prevalence of martial training and the profession of arms as a tradition that has not faded since ancient times (Friday and Humitake 13).
Ogawa, D. (1993) The Japanese of Los Angeles. Journal of Asian and African Studies, v19, pp.142-3.
In “The Flowers,” by Alice Walker, the flowers are used throughout the story to symbolize the beauty and naivety of childhood. In the beginning of the story the author shows the main character Myop walking down a path along the fence of her farm. Myop sees “an armful of strange blue flowers with velvety ridges…” The flowers are bright and colorful, reminding the reader of an innocent type of beauty often associated with them. This suggests the flowers were inserted in the story by Walker to reveal how young and innocent Myop appears to be. Later in the story, after Myop had discovered the dead body of a man who seemed to have been hung “Myop laid down her flowers,”. As Myop put down the flowers she was also putting down the last of her innocence.
The main symbolic image that the flowers provide is that of life; in the first chapter of the novel Offred says “…flowers: these are not to be dismissed. I am alive.” Many of the flowers Offred encounters are in or around the house where she lives; it can be suggested that this array of floral life is a substitute for the lack of human life, birth and social interaction. The entire idea of anything growing can be seen as a substitute for a child growing. The Commander’s house contains many pictures; as they are visual images, “flowers are still allowed.” Later, when Serena is “snipping off the seed pods with a pair of shears… aiming, positioning the blades… The fruiting body,” it seems that all life is being eradicated, even that of the flowers.
23 .Roger Daniel, Prisoners Without Trial: Japanese Americans in the World War II 1993, Hill and Yang.
Being a student interested in the field of biology, one knows that studying life in the past plays an important role in the history of organisms that lived on this earth. Similarly, being Japanese, studying the past of how Japanese were plays an important role in Japanese history. Despite all the general aspects of life that have changed from the Heian period, the one idea that has definitely not changed is the romantic relationships between a man and woman. Though the general concept is the same, from reading The Tale of Genji, it is what was considered the ideal woman and ideal man that were both surprising and thus worth discussing.
The lilac flower is meant to be in remembrance of an old love. Her father is so adamant on having their home to be designed in this certain time era, where men did things that would be consider really feminine without being labeled or ridicule by people in society. His work expressed himself thoroughly in ways no one would really understand him, if only they were in his shoes. For Allison this was all new to her. Unlike her father who knew he was homosexual around her age and didn’t act on it as much as she did. She experimented just as he, but she didn’t hide it after she was fully aware she was a lesbian, unlike her
The main character in John Steinback’s short story: The Chrysanthemums, is a married woman named Elisa Allen. She is a hardworking diligent young woman. In the opening chapters of The Chrysanthemums, Elisa is seen heartily in a great degree tendering to her gentle flowers. Powerful she is – gentle and conservative with her strength. She knows her weakness. Like the gentle calm flow of water embedding itself into layers of strata – which forms the highest peaks and grandest canyons.
...ots her memory, the blossoms her dreams, and the branches her vision. After each unsuccessful marriage, she waits for the springtime pollen to be sprinkled over her life once again. Even after Tea Cake's death, she has a garden of her own to sit and revel in.
The Fifteen-Year War was a time of great turmoil and uncertainty in Japan. Various facets of the country were tested and driven to their limits. During the occupation, race and gender began to evolve in ways that had not exactly be seen before. War had a tremendous impact on every part of the life of a Japanese citizen. Both men and women began to fill roles that were completely novel to them. Race became a part of the definition of who people were. As the war progressed and American troops landed on Japanese soil for occupation, more drastic changes occurred. Economic hardship and rations befell the people of the Land of the Rising Sun. Prostitution began to rear its ugly head and rape transpired. Through memory, research, and vivid creativity, the evolution of Japan during the Fifteen-Year War can be analyzed with great scrutiny.
the Roses due to the families association with the roses. There was three phases of the
Hanami, the Cherry Blossom viewing, which is also celebrated in the United States. The transition from winter to spring is celebrated annually in rituals ranging from Easter parades in the West to cherry-blossom viewing in parts of the East. For almost 2,000 years, the Japanese rite has been to celebrate the brief appearance of their favorite flower, the sakura (Sosnoski, 1996). The cherry blossom trees that are in the United States were a gift from Tokyo in 1912. They can be found in Washington, D.C. and reach their peak in early