桜　Cherry blossom

日本人にとって花と言えば桜ですが、平安時代からですね。それまでは花と言えば梅だったそうですが、中国から伝わった梅よりも、日本に昔からある桜のほうが好まれるようになったとも言われています。（諸説あるようです。）平安時代は、日本固有の文化が好まれるようになり、日本独特の文化が生まれた時期ですね。

For Japanese people, when it comes to flowers, it’s cherry blossoms that come to mind, but that tradition dates back to the Heian period. Prior to that, the plum blossom was considered the quintessential flower in Japan, but it’s been said that the native cherry blossom, which had existed in Japan since ancient times, became more popular than the plum blossom that was introduced from China. (There are various theories about this, however.) The Heian period was a time when Japan’s unique culture was embraced, leading to the creation of distinctively Japanese art and customs.

桜は武士道精神にも例えられてきましたね。華やかに咲いて潔く散る姿が、侍に似ているとか。「潔く散る」という考えは、第二次世界大戦中のように個人の命を軽視する考え方につながることもあるので、一概に良いとは言えませんが、歴史上多くの日本人に好まれた考え方ですね。

Sakura has also been compared to the spirit of Bushido. Its elegant bloom and pure fall are likened to the samurai’s way of life. The idea of “falling beautifully” can be associated with the idea of undervaluing individual life, as in the case of the Second World War, so it is not necessarily always positive, but it is an approach that has been favored by many Japanese people throughout history.