{"id":978,"date":"2009-04-04T22:06:08","date_gmt":"2009-04-04T13:06:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.darlosworld.co.uk\/?p=978"},"modified":"2009-04-04T22:06:08","modified_gmt":"2009-04-04T13:06:08","slug":"ohanami-to-sakura-no-hanabira-cherry-blossom-viewing-and-sakura-petals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/darlosworld.co.uk\/old-wp\/2009\/04\/04\/ohanami-to-sakura-no-hanabira-cherry-blossom-viewing-and-sakura-petals\/","title":{"rendered":"\u304a\u82b1\u898b\u3068\u685c\u306e\u82b1\u3073\u3089 (Cherry Blossom Viewing and Sakura Petals)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The \u685c (sakura, Japanese cherry blossom) season normally lasts but a few weeks, with the best times to see the short lives blossoms varying from place to place. This year however due to changing weather conditions<\/a>, the sakura trees have been taking longer to fully blossom despite them opening earlier. This meant that people had (and still have for that matter) more time to do \u304a\u82b1\u898b (ohanami, cherry blossom viewing).<\/p>\n

Ohanami takes the form of a picnic (or similar) where groups of friends, families, work-colleagues (etc) have a fun time in a park with, often under, sakura trees. Often alchohol is drunk (sometimes in excessive amounts), but the atmosphere amongst the groups is usually friendly enough to keep all parties under some sort of control … bare in mind I did say usually<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Coming up in a mo, I talk about my ohanami experiences this week, but first here’s a video from Clark in Japan<\/a> of ohanami in 2007, which will give you a better idea of what I’ve been talking about.<\/p>\n

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So I ohanami’d (can’t believe I made an English verb out of a Japanese noun … well, not a very good one) twice this last two days, coming away with two very different experiences from them.<\/p>\n

My first ohanami was at the park of \u5927\u962a\u57ce (oosaka jou, Osaka Castle) with three others; my French friend and two of our Japanese friends. I and one of my Japanese friends arrived late after deciding to walk from Umeda, not realising how far it was (and not realising we were going in the wrong direction). Along the way I bought a can of beer (Strong Seven<\/a>), though this stayed in my bag the whole time (honest!). By the time we got there our friends had already drunk theirs, but the small number of us meant that we could really enjoy the moment, a real \u4e00\u671f\u4e00\u4f1a<\/a> (ichi go ichi e, a moment to be cherished, link to Nakamura-sensei’s homepare as he taught me about it).<\/p>\n

Many (3; English, French and Japanese) languages were spoken and a world variety of topics discussed as we spoke beneath the shade of a sakura tree, with past experiences being shared with one another. We enjoyed the scenery with all the other groups beside and around us doing likewise, and caught a few photos of the land-train that is not unsimilar to Telford Town Park’s own Teddy’s Train<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Walking through the park on the way back, we passed many different groups in the park also enjoying a moment of \u4e00\u671f\u4e00\u4f1a. School sports clubs were together with each other enjoying the moment (not drinking … I assume). Work-colleagues of a variety of ranks were together enjoying some time together out of the office (drinking … I assume), and one group of foreigners were … well, they seemed to be enjoying a game of “that sign’s in Japanese, so it must not apply to us” (to be fair, maybe they couldn’t<\/em> read it, I just don’t know), as they set up a smoke-spewing barbecue right next to a sign saying “no barbecues or fireworks”.<\/p>\n

Today there was another ohanami organised by some of the exchange students at uni and took place in a park in \u5919\u5ddd (Shukugawa). To be honest I didn’t have high hopes of enjoying this one, especially by comparison to yesterdays, partly due to the common behaviour of some of students who were expecting to attend but mainly because we’d been predicted pretty naff (aka usual UK) weather.<\/p>\n

When I arrived, brolly in arm, there was a guy on the roof of the gazebo we seemed to have taken over and many empty bottles and cans. That being said everyone seemed to be in good spirits and having fun (in a non-drunken way). Strangely though we’d taken a spot where the sakuras could barely be seen. After about an hour and half fatigue caught up with me though, not to mention the annoying “stoppy-starty” rain started getting on my wick, so I headed home early.<\/p>\n

Cliche as this will sound, and pretty much everyone with a vague interest in Japan will have heard this at some point, but there really is something special about sakura and I don’t just mean it’s scent (which is really nice by the way). The reverance they receive despite and possible because they are only around for such a short time, has given them a real imprint onto the hearts of those they touch.<\/p>\n

I’ve also remembered that Telford actually has sakura within the Maxell Cherry Garden<\/a>, so those of you back home can actually have a little ohanami of your own.<\/p>\n

I’m going to end this entry with a song from Kobukuro<\/a> called Sakura, a song so beautiful it takes the words away from the very man trying to sing them in their 2005 tour. You can see the non-live version here<\/a>, and if you want to know what he’s saying the lyrics are below.<\/p>\n

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Japanese lyrics (Kanji)<\/a>
\nJapanese lyrics (Romanized)<\/a>
\nEnglish lyric translation<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Kanji version (from Corichan<\/a>)<\/strong>
\n\u540d\u3082\u306a\u3044\u82b1\u306b\u306f\u540d\u524d\u3092\u4ed8\u3051\u307e\u3057\u3087\u3046 \u3053\u306e\u4e16\u306b\u4e00\u3064\u3057\u304b\u306a\u3044
\n\u51ac\u306e\u5bd2\u3055\u306b\u6253\u3061\u3072\u3057\u304c\u308c\u306a\u3044\u3088\u3046\u306b \u8ab0\u304b\u306e\u58f0\u3067\u307e\u305f\u8d77\u304d\u4e0a\u304c\u308c\u308b\u3088\u3046\u306b<\/p>\n

\u571f\u306e\u4e2d\u3067\u7720\u308b\u547d\u306e\u304b\u305f\u307e\u308a \u30a2\u30b9\u30d5\u30a1\u30eb\u30c8\u62bc\u3057\u306e\u3051\u3066
\n\u4f1a\u3046\u305f\u3073\u306b\u3044\u3064\u3082 \u4f1a\u3048\u306a\u3044\u6642\u306e\u5bc2\u3057\u3055
\n\u5206\u3051\u3042\u3046\u4e8c\u4eba \u592a\u967d\u3068\u6708\u306e\u3088\u3046\u3067<\/p>\n

\u5b9f\u306e\u306a\u3089\u306a\u3044\u82b1\u3082 \u857e\u306e\u307e\u307e\u6563\u308b\u82b1\u3082
\n\u3042\u306a\u305f\u3068\u8ab0\u304b\u306e\u3053\u308c\u304b\u3089\u3092 \u6625\u306e\u98a8\u3092\u6d74\u3073\u3066\u898b\u3066\u308b<\/p>\n

\u685c\u306e\u82b1\u3073\u3089\u6563\u308b\u305f\u3073\u306b \u5c4a\u304b\u306c\u601d\u3044\u304c\u307e\u305f\u4e00\u3064
\n\u6d99\u3068\u7b11\u9854\u306b\u6d88\u3055\u308c\u3066\u304f \u305d\u3057\u3066\u307e\u305f\u5927\u4eba\u306b\u306a\u3063\u305f
\n\u8ffd\u3044\u304b\u3051\u308b\u3060\u3051\u306e\u60b2\u3057\u307f\u306f \u5f37\u304f\u6e05\u3089\u304b\u306a\u60b2\u3057\u307f\u306f
\n\u3044\u3064\u307e\u3067\u3082\u5909\u308f\u308b\u3053\u3068\u306e\u7121\u3044
\n\u7121\u304f\u3055\u306a\u3044\u3067 \u541b\u306e\u4e2d\u306b \u54b2\u304f Love\u30fb\u30fb\u30fb<\/p>\n

\u8857\u306e\u4e2d\u898b\u304b\u3051\u305f\u541b\u306f\u5bc2\u3057\u3052\u306b \u4eba\u3054\u307f\u306b\u7d1b\u308c\u3066\u305f
\n\u3042\u306e\u9803\u306e \u6f84\u3093\u3060\u77b3\u306e\u5965\u306e\u8f1d\u304d \u6642\u306e\u901f\u3055\u306b\u6c5a\u3055\u308c\u3066\u3057\u307e\u308f\u306c\u3088\u3046\u306b<\/p>\n

\u4f55\u3082\u8a71\u3055\u306a\u3044\u3067 \u8a00\u8449\u306b\u306a\u3089\u306a\u3044\u306f\u305a\u3055
\n\u6d41\u3057\u305f\u6d99\u306f\u96e8\u3068\u306a\u308a \u50d5\u306e\u5fc3\u306e\u50b7\u3044\u3084\u3059<\/p>\n

\u4eba\u306f\u307f\u306a \u5fc3\u306e\u5cb8\u8fba\u306b \u624b\u653e\u3057\u305f\u304f\u306a\u3044\u82b1\u304c\u3042\u308b
\n\u305d\u308c\u306f\u305f\u304f\u307e\u3057\u3044\u82b1\u3058\u3083\u306a\u304f \u511a\u304f\u63fa\u308c\u308b \u4e00\u8f2a\u82b1
\n\u82b1\u3073\u3089\u306e\u6570\u3068\u540c\u3058\u3060\u3051 \u751f\u304d\u3066\u3044\u304f\u5f37\u3055\u3092\u611f\u3058\u308b
\n\u5d50 \u5439\u304f \u98a8\u306b\u6253\u305f\u308c\u3066\u3082 \u3084\u307e\u306a\u3044\u96e8\u306f\u7121\u3044\u306f\u305a\u3068<\/p>\n

\u685c\u306e\u82b1\u3073\u3089\u6563\u308b\u305f\u3073\u306b \u5c4a\u304b\u306c\u601d\u3044\u304c\u307e\u305f\u2015\u3064
\n\u6d99\u3068\u7b11\u9854\u306b\u6d88\u3055\u308c\u3066\u304f \u305d\u3057\u3066\u307e\u305f\u5927\u4eba\u306b\u306a\u3063\u305f
\n\u8ffd\u3044\u304b\u3051\u308b\u3060\u3051\u306e\u60b2\u3057\u307f\u306f \u5f37\u304f\u6e05\u3089\u304b\u306a\u60b2\u3057\u307f\u306f
\n\u3044\u3064\u307e\u3067\u3082\u5909\u308f\u308b\u3053\u3068\u306e\u7121\u3044
\n\u541b\u306e\u4e2d\u306b \u50d5\u306e\u4e2d\u306b \u54b2\u304f Love\u30fb\u30fb\u30fb<\/p>\n

\u540d\u3082\u306a\u3044\u82b1\u306b\u306f\u540d\u524d\u3092\u4ed8\u3051\u307e\u3057\u3087\u3046 \u3053\u306e\u4e16\u306b\u4e00\u3064\u3057\u304b\u306a\u3044
\n\u51ac\u306e\u5bd2\u3055\u306b\u6253\u3061\u3072\u3057\u304c\u308c\u306a\u3044\u3088\u3046\u306b \u8ab0\u304b\u306e\u58f0\u3067\u307e\u305f\u8d77\u304d\u4e0a\u304c\u308c\u308b\u3088\u3046\u306b<\/p>\n

<\/a>Romanized version (from Megchan<\/a>)<\/strong>
\nNa mo nai hana ni wa namae wo tsukemashou
\nKono yo ni hitotsu shika nai
\nFuyu no samusa ni uchihishigarenai you ni
\nDareka no koe de mata okiagareru you ni<\/p>\n

Tsuchi no naka de nemuru inochi no katamari
\nAsufaruto oshinokete
\nAu tabi ni itsumo aenai toki no sabishisa
\nWake au futari taiyou to tsuki no you de
\nMinoranai hana mo tsubomi no mama chiru hana mo
\nAnata to dareka no kore kara wo
\nHaru no kaze wo abite miteru<\/p>\n

Sakura no hanabira chiru tabi ni
\nTodokanu omoi ga mata hitotsu
\nNamida to egao ni kesareteku
\nSoshite mata otona ni natta
\nOikakeru dake no kanashimi wa
\nTsuyoku kiyoraka na kanashimi wa
\nItsu mademo kawaru koto no nai
\nNakusanaide kimi no naka ni saku love…<\/p>\n

Machi no naka mikaketa kimi wa sabishige ni
\nHitogomi ni magireteta
\nAno koro no sunda hitomi no oku no kagayaki
\nToki no hayasa ni kegasarete shimawanu you ni
\nNanimo hanasanaide kotoba ni naranai hazu sa
\nNagashita namida wa ame to nari boku no kokoro no kizu iyasu
\nHito wa mina kokoro no kishibe ni
\nTebanashitakunai hana ga aru
\nSore wa takumashii hana ja naku
\nHakanaku yureru ichirinbana
\nHanabira no kazu to onaji dake
\nIkite iku tsyosa wo kanjiru
\nArashi fuku kaze ni utaretemo
\nYamanai ame wa nai hazu to<\/p>\n

Sakura no hanabira chiru tabi ni
\nTodokanu omoi ga mata hitotsu
\nNamida to egao ni kesareteku
\nSoshite mata otona ni natta
\nOikakeru dake no kanashimi wa
\nTsuyoku kiyoraka na kanashimi wa
\nItsu mademo kawaru koto no nai
\nKimi no naka ni boku no naka ni saku love…<\/p>\n

Na mo nai hana ni wa namae wo tsukemashou
\nKono yo ni hitotsu shika nai
\nFuyu no samusa ni uchihishigarenai you ni
\nDareka no koe de mata okiagareru you ni <\/p>\n

<\/a>English Translation (from Megchan<\/a>)<\/strong>
\nLet’s name this nameless flower
\nThere’s only one of it in the world
\nSo it’s not battered by the cold of winter
\nSo it can rise again when someone calls<\/p>\n

A lump of life sleeping within the ground
\nPushing aside the asphalt
\nWhenever I see you, we can share
\nThe loneliness of not being able to meet, just like the sun and moon
\nEven the flowers that don’t bear fruit, and those that wither as buds
\nAre bathing in the spring wind
\nWatching your future with someone else<\/p>\n

Whenever the cherry blossoms fall
\nAnother unreturned love
\nDisappears with tears and a smile
\nAnd then we grow up
\nAnd the sorrow of always chasing after
\nThat strong and pure sorrow
\nNever changes
\nDon’t ever lose it, let it bloom inside you – love…<\/p>\n

When I saw you on the street
\nYou seemed lonesome as you slipped into the crowd
\nDon’t let the swiftness of time
\nSully the sparkle within your clear eyes
\nDon’t say a thing, it can’t be put into words
\nThe tears you shed will become rain, healing the wounds of my heart
\nEveryone has a flower on the banks of their heart
\nThat they don’t want to let go of
\nIt’s not a sturdy flower
\nBut a single flower, swaying fragilely
\nYou feel the strength to live
\nIn the number of its petals
\nEven when the storm rages and the wind flattens it down
\nThere’s no such thing as a rain that will never let up<\/p>\n

Whenever the cherry blossoms fall
\nAnother unreturned love
\nDisappears with tears and a smile
\nAnd then we grow up
\nAnd the sorrow of always chasing after
\nThat strong and pure sorrow
\nNever changes
\nIt blooms inside you and me – love…<\/p>\n

Let’s name this nameless flower
\nThere’s only one of it in the world
\nSo it’s not battered by the cold of winter
\nSo it can rise again when someone calls<\/p>\n

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