April is when a swarm of tourists will head to countries such as Japan, China and South Korea to witness the cherry blossoms making a mass appearance. It’s also that time of the year when you’ll find your Facebook feed being swamped by your friends’ pictures travelling to these places to catch them. The hype can get extreme, though, as there are tourists who would kick and climb cherry blossom trees to take the perfect photograph.
The flower is pretty much everywhere now.
It has made appearances in several songs...
... In a number of anime and movies.
Image: Tumblr
... On McDonald’s menu (We know! What even?)
Image: www.kotaku.com
... And as a seasonal drink at Starbucks!
Image: www.rocketnews24.com
The flower is such an important tourism icon that there are even forecasts for travellers to plan their trip. The craze around them can be extreme, though, as tourists have been reported vandalising the trees to make the flowers fall to take the perfect selfie.
But did you know that these beautiful flowers have cultural symbolism behind them?
- During World War II, the cherry blossom was a symbol of motivation for the Japanese people. Their fighter pilots painted cherry blossoms on the sides of their planes.
- Students in Japan see it as a sign of beginning a new life, as heavy blooming occurs during a time when the new school year begins.
- For the Chinese, the cherry blossom signifies power, sexuality and feminine beauty.
- Buddhists regard cherry blossoms as a reminder that humans exist for a short while on this Earth, just like the flower.
- Japan gave more than 3,000 cherry blossom trees to the United States back in 1912 to honour their friendship. The annual National Cherry Blossom Festival is held in Washington D.C. to commemorate this moment.
