THE MEANINGS WOVEN IN
桜
sakura
A wish for a good beginning, and a season to share.
Cherry Blossom
01
Where it comes from
Five petals, each with a small notch at its tip. Cherry trees bloom in spring, when the school year and many new starts begin in Japan, and the blossoms fall within days. People have long gathered under them, and the flower has come to carry both a fresh start and the beauty of a moment that passes. On cloth it is often shown with running water, or scattered as falling petals.
02
On the cloth
On obi, sakura may fill a branch, float on a stream, or fall as single petals across the ground. Here the blossoms open beside bamboo grass, in a gradation of gold and brown.
03
To give
Sakura suits a new school, a new job, or a spring wedding. It is also a gift for a friend you want to see the blossoms with again next year.
A word to keep
花見
hanami
Flower viewing. Gathering under the cherry trees in spring.
