Cherry Blossom Viewing at Ueno, 18th Century

Ueno no hanami. Cherry blossom viewing at Ueno. Print shows groups of women viewing cherry blossoms at the park in Ueno. 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. Katsukawa Shunzan, circa 1780 and 1800

Picture No

12698846

Media ID

47672671

Size

3180px x 4500px (6.3MB)

Credit

LOC/Science Source/Mary Evans