4561


A lot of anime I have seen use cherry blossoms, especially when they fall from
the sky. Romantic or emotional scenes have cherry blossom in the background.
In many anime, there is a childhood scene in which friends see cherry blossoms
falling and remember that day forever or they meet their love when the
blossoms are falling.

Why is it always cherry blossoms? Does it have a special significance in
Japanese culture?


CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-31T12:25:19.013
4560
2014-01-03T14:35:52.313
2014-01-03T14:35:52.313
1530
1905
question
culture
Why are cherry blossom so prevalent in anime?


Cherry blossoms are _very_ prominent in Japanese culture. From
[Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_blossom#Symbolism):

> In Japan, cherry blossoms also symbolize clouds due to their nature of
> blooming en masse, besides being an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral
> nature of life, an aspect of Japanese cultural tradition that is often
> associated with Buddhistic influence, and which is embodied in the concept
> of [_mono no aware_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mono_no_aware). The
> association of the cherry blossom with _mono no aware_ 1 dates back to 18th-
> century scholar Motoori Norinaga. The transience of the blossoms, the
> extreme beauty and quick death, has often been associated with mortality;
> for this reason, cherry blossoms are richly symbolic, and have been utilized
> often in Japanese art, manga, anime, and film, as well as at musical
> performances for ambient effect. There is at least one popular folk song,
> originally meant for the shakuhachi (bamboo flute), titled "Sakura", and
> several pop songs. The flower is also represented on all manner of consumer
> goods in Japan, including kimono, stationery, and dishware.

1 Mono no aware (物の哀れ) [...] is a Japanese term for the awareness of
impermanence (無常 mujō), or transience of things, and a gentle sadness (or
wistfulness) at their passing.

So yes, they do have a special significance.


CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-31T13:08:38.510
4561
2013-08-01T13:47:33.610
2013-08-01T13:47:33.610
1398
2130
4560
answer


[Hanami](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanami) (lit. "flower viewing") being
one of the nation-wide festivals would help.

Note that the school year starts in April (graduation in late March), while
depending on the location, cherry blossoms are prevalent from the end of March
to early May.

Everyone knows romance is all about love at first sight on the first day of
school and confessions during the graduation ceremony, right?

TvTropes' [Cherry
Blossoms](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CherryBlossoms) article
could be an interesting read, on top of Wikipedia's.


CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-31T15:00:01.917
4563
2013-07-31T19:01:09.350
2013-07-31T19:01:09.350
61
2129
4560
answer