On this page, I will introduce you how to enjoy the cherry blossoms, which are inherited from old in Japan. It is consolidated into 11 keywords. I will explain about those keywords along with a lot of beautiful cherry blossoms photos.
Please also refer to the following articles for Japanese cherry blossoms.
Table of Contents
Keywords suggest how to enjoy the cherry blossoms deeply
There are many interesting words about flowers in Japan. For example, a person who steals a flower is called “Hana Nusubito”. It is close to the meaning of a person who takes away flowers. Those who steal things are generally called “Dorobo (thief)”, but people who take flowers are not called “flower thieves”. Because we feel that people who take flowers love flowers. Of course, it is bad to take flowers without permission. However, we use the special word “Hana Nusubito” in consideration of the fact that people who take flowers also love flowers.
Let me introduce each special word about cherry blossoms one by one.
Hana Fubuki (花吹雪) / Sakura Fubuki (桜吹雪)
a flurry of cherry blossoms = AdobeStock
Cherry blossoms are scattered in about 10 days in most cases. It is a big characteristic of cherry blossoms to be scattered soon. So, we also enjoy the scenery where the cherry blossoms petals scatter.
We express the scenery of cherry blossom petals with the following words.
Hana Fubuki (Flower blizzard)
Sakura Fubuki (Cherry blizzard)
A flurry of cherry blossoms is truly amazing. Please do experience by all means.
Hana Mushiro （花筵）
Cherry blossoms petals on the ground = AdobeStock
The petals of the cherry blossoms will be piled on the ground after they are scattered. Under the cherry tree, it looks like a beautiful pink carpet. We also enjoy this landscape.
In Japan, simple carpets called “Mushiro” have long been popular. So, the carpet of the cherry blossoms has been called “Hana Mushiro (Flower Mushiro)”.
Hana Ikada （花筏）
Cherry blossoms petals floating on the river = AdobeStock
The cherry blossom petals float like a raft when falling into a river or pond.
This “raft” is very pretty.
In Japanese we call rafts “Ikada”. Therefore, the scenery where the cherry blossoms petals fell to the river and pond is called “Hana Ikada (Flower Raft)”.
In Japan, cherry blossoms are regarded as representatives of flowers, so it is common to express cherry blossoms as flowers.
Sakura Kage （桜影）
Kyoto, Japan in the Spring at Daikaku-ji Temple’s pond = shutterstock
Japan is blessed with water. Because there are many rivers and ponds in Japan, cherry blossoms may appear on the surface of the water.
We also love these landscapes. The appearance reflected in a mirror etc. is called “Kage” in old Japanese words. So, the cherry blossoms reflected on the surface of the water are called “Sakura Kage (Cherry Shadow)”.
Hana Bie (花冷え）
Cherry blossoms with snow piled up = AdobeStock
Cherry tree and bridge in the fog = shutterstock
The weather is often unstable in Japan from March to the beginning of April. Even when cherry blossoms start to bloom, it may get cold. We express the coldness of the time when the cherry blossoms bloom with the following words.
Hana Bie (coldness in cherry blossoms season).
When it gets cold, the flowering of cherry blossoms is delayed. So, we will not feel calm on Hana Bie’s day. There is also a good taste to feel such a mood.
Sakura Ame （桜雨）
White flowers of cherry plum in the rain on a spring day = shutterstock
Petal Cherry Blossom fall on the stair = shutterstock
It may rain on Hana Bie’s day. Then, we will wonder if the cherry blossoms will fall at a stretch.
We are also worried that the cherry blossoms are very cold.
We call rain at this time “Sakura Ame (cherry blossom rain)”.
Hana Akari （花明かり）
Beautiful cherry blossom (sakura flowers) with Milky Way star in night skies, full moon = shutterstock
Cherry Blossom in Ikusaka-ike pond, Tenri-city, Nara, Japan. Night view = shutterstock
Night shot of a cherry tree in full blossom in spring with the Milky Way galaxy in the background = shutterstock
The cherry blossoms in full bloom look shiny. Actually, in the night, cherry blossoms seem to be shining in the dark.
The cherry blossoms illuminated by the moonlight look particularly beautiful.
The old Japanese expressed the flower of cherry blossoms in the next word.
Hana Akari (Flower Light)
Unfortunately, in Japan today, it is difficult to experience a really dark night. Japan is now illuminated everywhere with lights. It is a safe world, but it may not have a bit of mood.
I used to see the cherry blossoms shining at night in the mountains of Shimane prefecture. It was an amazing fantasy world!
Hana Kagari (花かがり)
Night scenery of illuminated Miharu Takizakura, a thousand-year-old cherry blossom tree on a hillside in the countryside of Miharu, Fukushima Japan = shutterstock
Night view of massive cherry blossoming with Tokyo tower as background. Photoed at Chidorigafuchi, Tokyo, Japan = shutterstock
Cherry blossoms in Hirosaki castle, Aomori Prefecture, Japan = AdobeStock
The old Japanese called the cherry blossoms at night as “Yozakura” (cherry blossoms at night) and loved them.
And they enjoyed shining the cherry blossoms with bonfires. They expressed these events with the words below.
Hana Kagari (Flower Bonfire)
Modern Japanese also like to light up cherry blossoms. If you go to Japan, please enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms at night as well.
Hana Dukare (花疲れ）
Crowds enjoy the spring cherry blossoms by partaking in seasonal nighttime Hanami festivals in Maruyama Park = shutterstock
Japanese people wish to see the cherry blossoms when the cherry blossoms bloomed. To appreciate cherry blossoms is called “Hanami (flower viewing)”.
Japanese, especially enjoy eating and drinking under the cherry blossom trees. Please do enjoy it in Japan by all means.
However, if you enjoy too much flower viewing you will get tired. We express this condition by the following words.
Hana Dukare (Flower Fatigue)
Please be careful not to be Hana Dukare.
Ou-un （桜雲）
Aerial drone view of Mt. Yoshino covered by full blossom cherry trees, Nara prefecture, Japan = shutterstock
As can be seen in the photo above, there are places where many cherry blossoms bloom. The most famous is Mt. Yoshino in Nara Prefecture.
The old Japanese who went to these cherry blossom sights celebrated the scenery as “Ou-Un (Sakura Cloud)“.
Hana Gasumi (花霞)
Mountains of Yoshino wrapped in beautiful cherry blossoms, Nara prefecture, Japan = AdobeStock
If all the cherry blossoms are white, it may be better to compare the scenery to mist rather than clouds.
Such a view is called “Hana Gasumi (Flower Mist)“.
The scenery where various flowers of cherry blossoms bloom all together is wonderful, but the white landscape is also amazing. Would you like to experience a world that is completely white in Japan?
Thank you for reading to the end.
