Japanese Cherry Blossom Assignment?

The cherry blossom, or sakura, is something of a "national flower" in Japan. It's not officially the national flower: the chrysanthemum is the emperor's emblem and appears on Japanese passports, so it's probably the de-facto national flower. However, the cherry blossom occupies a higher place in the heart of Japanese people, so it can be considered the "people's flower".

The answer above describes how the cherry blossom came to be loved in Japan. I'll elaborate on its modern implications and uses...

- As a symbol of spring, and to represent the changing of seasons. As indicated in the historical background, Japanese people gather to view and enjoy the cherry blossoms in spring. Gatherings to see blossoming cherry trees are known as "(o)-hanami" and certain parks in certain cities are especially popular because the flowering is said to be exceptionally beautiful. Hanami is so popular that even in China (where the practice originated, as stated above), it is now considered a "Japanese" pastime.

- Most schools and government buildings have cherry trees planted in front of them as a symbol of national pride, beauty or inspiration. (An example of the cherry tree's inspirational properties is in the TV drama "Dragon Sakura", in which a temporary teacher plants a cherry tree in the school campus for "luck" and to motivate his students to study hard for exams.)

- In line with the springtime symbolism, the Japanese school year starts around late March/early April to coincide with the flowering of cherry blossoms.

- As a symbol of patriotism. The cherry blossom was associated with Japanese militarism during World War II. After the war, many cherry trees were cut down in Korea as they were seen as a symbol of Japanese occupation.

The festival is celebrated in Japan in their spring season - for the legend and history best you google it for the information

"If one should ask you
concerning the heart of a true Japanese,
point to the wild cherry flower
glowing in the sun."

Norinaga Motoori (1730-1801)

Cherry Blossoms bring the country to halt almost every year as everyone goes out to view them both day and night. Hanami is cherry-blossom-viewing- parties and hot spots are crowded with people on blue tarps drinking and eating under the blossoms. Every spring, they do a sakura (cherry blossom) forecast on TV as to when the blossoms will come.

Cherry Blossoms were the personal motif of the samurai. They saw in themselves similar traits. The Cherry Blossom doesn't wilt on the branch but falls at the height of its glory much like the death-seeking samurai.

Samurai warlords would decorate their castles with rows of cherry trees. The largest and grandest hanami ever held was by the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the late 16th Century.

Cherry Blossoms because of their brief but beautiful life reflects the Japanese concept of mono no aware - the sensitivity to the passing of things. It's joy mingled with sadness

http://samuraidave.wordpress.com/2007/04/05/the-short-happy-life-of-the-cherry-blossom/

A little about hanami tradition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y06cBok4hSw&feature=channel_page

Photo montage of Cherry Blossoms with Japanese poetry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yqIcxTT27c&feature=channel_page

During the Heian Period (794–1191), the Japanese nobility sought to emulate many practices from China,[citation needed] including the social phenomenon of flower viewing (hanami: 花見), where the imperial households, poets, singers, and other aristocrats would gather and celebrate under the blossoms. In Japan, cherry trees were planted and cultivated for their beauty, for the adornment of the grounds of the nobility of Kyoto, at least as early as 794.[3] In China, the ume "plum" tree (actually a species of apricot) was held in highest regard, but by the middle of the ninth century, the sakura had replaced the plum as the favored species in Japan.