Cherry Blossom Viewing at Gotenyama, 1805

Gotenyama no hanami migi. Cherry blossom viewing at Gotenyama. Print shows two women, one seated, holding a box and one holding onto the sedan chair, also, a young girl holding an infant (or doll), with cherry blossoms above and sailboats in the background. A cherry blossom (commonly known in Japan as sakura) is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese cherry, Prunus serrulata. In Japan, cherry blossoms 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 Buddhist influence, and which is embodied in the concept of mono no aware. The association of the cherry blossom with mono no aware dates back to 18th century scholar Motoori Norinaga. The transience of the blossoms, the exquisite beauty and volatility, has often been associated with mortality and graceful and readily acceptance of destiny and karma; for this reason, cherry blossoms are richly symbolic, and have been utilized often in Japanese art, manga, anime, and film. Along with the chrysanthemum, the cherry blossom is considered the national flower of Japan. Utamaro Kitagawa, 1805

Picture No

12698844

Media ID

47673562

Size

3028px x 4500px (5.9MB)

Credit

LOC/Science Source/Mary Evans