Sakura

Nothing makes the Japanese heart beat like the sight, or even just the anticipation, of the sakura – the cherry blossom. I had never been to Japan during cherry blossom season before, so one of my specific intentions in the planning of this trip was to be here to experience it. Within the first couple of days of being here, I was asking around about where the best places were to go and see the cherry blossoms. I didn't like what I was hearing. "Owari desu" – they're already past. At least around here. So, I asked where I might still be able to see them. I got the names of a couple of places on the Izu Peninsula. Kawazu, just north of here, and another place on the west coast of Izu, also not far.

Oh dear. All this planning, and I'm still not going to be able to get the full experience. Carolyn and I rented a car one day last week and drove first down the coast, then back up as far as Ito. When we asked around there, we were directed to a particular part of town where the cherry blossoms are especially lush. We drove all around, stopping occasionally to get directions, and finally being told by a small group of middle-aged women (who surely would have known the best places) that we were on the right path, but that they were afraid the timing was not good. Owari.

Or at least that's what I thought I was hearing.

But we followed their directions none the less. We made our way down a street made famous by its cherry blossom tunnel. There was clearly a pink cast to the canopy, and some trees had more blossoms in them than others, but it was also clearly not in full bloom. Our imaginations were full of what it must have looked like just a week ago. Like the parades of cars on a peak New England fall day out to see the foliage, this display of nature brought hordes of spectators to see the new burst of spring every year here in this place. We're told that the cars are bumper to bumper down this street, and you can sit for hours waiting to get through, but enjoying the sight of the cherry blossoms the whole while.

This past weekend while we were in Tokyo, we began to have doubts. We heard people in Tokyo talking about the buds popping within the next day or two. When we said we thought they had already gone past down where we were in Shimoda, there was speculation that it could be because of the warmer climate or the effect of the mountains. But we also began to realize that we had not seen any evidence of fallen cherry blossoms on the pristine streets of Ito or Shimoda. Perhaps those slightly more red buds on the trees were not the leavings of blossoms gone by, but the yet-to-burst-forth buds of yet-to-be-born blossoms. Wouldn't that be nice!

Our suspicions were further aroused when Junko, our exchange daughter in Osaka, responding to a note I had sent, expressed real surprise and disbelief that the blossoms were "owari." They hadn't come out yet even down south in Osaka. We're more hopeful still.

So, today has been cool and cloudy, so nothing dramatic has happened. But on an evening walk through the neighborhood down to the beach, I did seem to notice more trees in bloom than before. We're even more hopeful now! The anticipation is getting to me!

In his introduction to his translation of The Tsurezuregusa of Kenko, Donald Keene talks about the issue of perishability and impermanence in the Japanese psyche and aesthetic, particularly in relation to Kenko's advocacy of the imperfect. Kenko writes: "Are we to look at cherry blossoms only in full bloom, the moon only when it is cloudless? …Branches about to blossom or gardens strewn with faded flowers are worthier of our admiration… In all things, it is the beginnings and ends that are interesting." He notes that nothing can be added to a full moon, or to the cherry blossom in full flower. But it is the anticipation of what is to come that stirs the imagination when you see a bud about to burst forth, or the memory of what already was when you look upon a faded flower that is most interesting and finally most worthy of our attention – perhaps most evocative of our deepest human capacities for thought and emotion.

I'm trying to pay attention to that now. What was our sense of something faded and past has turned, ironically, to anticipation. There's probably a new Easter metaphor in there somewhere if I think about it. For now, I'm paying close attention to those little red buds.

Maybe all of those people who told me it was "owari" were trying to help the gaijin by telling me in their heavily accented English that they were "early" (the two words can, believe it or not, sound somewhat the same with a Japanese accent). That's all I can figure out for now anyway. Can't wait to find out. And will let you know!



PS -- It's now Wednesday mid-day here, and the mystery is solved! We found a guy in our neighborhood who explained to us that there are TWO cherry blossom seasons here -- the first in mid-February -- and indeed "owari." But the major blossom season is just upon us now. Yeah! We can tell from the cherry trees today that everything is about to burst into blossom. Already..., but not yet!

Ah, the anticipation.

No April Fools!