The Magical Sakura in Okinawa

Flowers are beautiful as well as life is. Traditionally, Japanese people believed that sakura or cherry blossoms represent beauty and life's impermanence.  They say that the flowers characterize their appreciation to life and its beauty. Sakura are very much appreciated here in the Land of the Rising Sun. Chrysanthemum is Japan's official national flower and  though sakura isn't, they are still well loved by its people even during the ancient times. Many Japanese believed that the flowers have magical powers. Several centuries back, they regarded that you feel so energized and powerful when you spent time under the sakura trees. 

Aside from their belief in their magical properties, sakura were considered as a symbol of prosperity in agriculture. Before, the branches of the mountain cherry trees or yamaza-sakura were brought down to the lowland communities during spring celebrations in acknowledgement of their bountiful harvests. 

During the earlier times in 812 AD, sakura were planted all over Japan and all the rich families began to hold annual sakura festivals. This included Japanese people creating poetries and songs about the transience of life and even performing meditation under the sakura branches. Some said that the samurais (the military nobility of medieval and early-modern Japan) also believed that because the flowers don't last throughout the year, their brief existence reflected their lives offered to their country for a just cause.

I was given the opportunity to witness the beauty of sakura here in Okinawa. I came to view the beauty of Okinawa's sakura at Mt. Yae located at Okayo, Motobu, Kunigami District. I actually have seen nothing less but their magnificent and magical beauty as said in the country's history.

Yearly, Japan Meteorological Association tracks the blooming of sakura trees from the southernmost prefecture in January to the northernmost regions in April and May. This is called "sakura zensen" or The Bloom of Cherry Blossoms. And because Okinawa island is having a relatively temperate winter climate, the sakura zensen begins months before many other Japanese locales see them during spring. Some of the mainland residents visit Okinawa during this season to see the local species called kanshi- zakura. This kind has darker  pink (actually scarlet in some cases) bell-shaped flowers. The blooming begins at Nakijin Castle ruins at Mt. Nago and at Mt. Yaedake here in OKINAWA.  Although there are people who would not believe really that sakura has magical properties, one thing is indeed real. The exquisite beauty of the cherry blossoms and the softness of their delicate petals brought tranquility and happiness to me. They may not really seem magical but still after viewing them,  I have witnessed and felt the pure heart of the Okinawans  and their culture. I really enjoyed the hanami (sakura viewing). THIS IS REALLY MY EXTRA CHERRY ON TOP OF MY JOB AS AN OFW.