On April 3rd I got a mail from one of my friends Mr. Wong to join for O-hanami party on 5th April, Sunday. Sakura flowers were blossoming at that time. That was the perfect season to celebrate o-hanami party. That would have been my second cherry blossom season in Japan. Last year I celebrated o-hanami party with my friends at Sakura, Chiba prefecture. The name of the place is also Sakura, similar to the Sakura trees in Japan, but I think both have different Kanji characters. This means both have different meanings. Sakura flowers are Cherry flowers. The place Sakura has the Kanji character for store house.
Hana means flower in Japanese language and mi means ‘Observe’, ‘Watch’, ‘View’, ‘See’ etc. This is the time Japanese people gather under the Sakura trees in public places where Sakura trees are covered with sakura flowers. At evenings they sit together under sakura trees and drink, eat and enjoy. The parks and public gardens would be crowded during these days. Japanese language use ‘O’ in-front of some words to show the respect, politeness, feminineness and at some occasions bad things like ‘Sake’ (alcohol) in the form of o-sake.
O-hanami is the time for enjoyment. Drinks will be served unlimited and Japanese people drink and look above to the sakura flowers. They will praise the beauty of sakura flowers. It was really an interesting experience for me last year. This year when Mr. Wong sent e-mail invitation for o-hanami party, I replied to him the following;
“I will watch Sakura flowers in India! My daughters’ faces are more equally beautiful like Sakura flowers!! Just seriously joking. This Saturday I will leave to India and will be back on next week Friday along with my family. Sorry for my absence.”
Hana means flower in Japanese language and mi means ‘Observe’, ‘Watch’, ‘View’, ‘See’ etc. This is the time Japanese people gather under the Sakura trees in public places where Sakura trees are covered with sakura flowers. At evenings they sit together under sakura trees and drink, eat and enjoy. The parks and public gardens would be crowded during these days. Japanese language use ‘O’ in-front of some words to show the respect, politeness, feminineness and at some occasions bad things like ‘Sake’ (alcohol) in the form of o-sake.
O-hanami is the time for enjoyment. Drinks will be served unlimited and Japanese people drink and look above to the sakura flowers. They will praise the beauty of sakura flowers. It was really an interesting experience for me last year. This year when Mr. Wong sent e-mail invitation for o-hanami party, I replied to him the following;
“I will watch Sakura flowers in India! My daughters’ faces are more equally beautiful like Sakura flowers!! Just seriously joking. This Saturday I will leave to India and will be back on next week Friday along with my family. Sorry for my absence.”
On Saturday, 4th April, I went back to India as planned. There were varieties of flowers at my home in India. Many different varieties of hibiscus flowers in the garden in front of our home were also beautiful and were a feast for eyes. My younger brother is fond of hibiscus flowers and he collect varieties of them and takes care along with the love birds in the garden.
On 5th April I reached at home and had great time with my kids and better half. On April 9th I reached back to Tokyo with my wife, two daughters and mother. Now I am not alone in Tokyo any more!
This is the end of my solitude. It may not be necessary for me to think of the solitary reapers while walking over the Arakawa Bridge that connects Komatsugawa Park and the Shin-Ohashi dori on the way to Namaste foods at Higashi Ojima. From now onwards I will be accompanied with my elder Sakura flower!
What better cherry blossom I can observe than the smiles of my daughters! After all, my cherry blossom is not limited to one week when my daughters are with me.
If you are interested to know the history of Sakura blossom (Cherry blossom) celebrations known as O-hanami festival in Japan please visit Manisha's blog - Life with hubby. She has written an excellent post with many eye-catching photos on her blog, that added more beauty to the blog. Please visit and read; Cherry blossom festival
Hi, Very nice photos! Your wife and daughters are so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice time with your family in Tokyo. Enjoy. Best wishes.
You replied to a comment of mine on an Adsense help forum last October.
ReplyDeleteI did not know until today when I found it somehow.
I appreciate your kindness in doing this and would like to wish you well. I have just read your latest two postings to your blog and was moved by your description of parting from your friend who knew about Indonesian restaurants in Tokyo. And I liked your comment about your daughter...why would you indeed need cherry blossoms for beauty?
Vernon Hall
Dear Manisha and Halvenon,
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for your comments.