Sakura ni tsunagizaru. Monkey on a leash and cherry blossoms. Print shows a monkey sitting on a post with cherry blossoms falling around it. 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. Monkeys are a historically prominent feature in the religion, folklore, and art of Japan, as well as in Japanese proverbs and idiomatic expressions. Utagawa Hiroshige, circa 1830-58. |