53. Sakura Trees
A cherry blossom is the flower of any of several trees of genus Prunus, particularly the Japanese Cherry, Prunus serrulata, which is called sakura. People obsess over them, their rare public appearances send fans into a frenzy, and the most devoted enthusiasts will even follow their flowering tour as it spreads from Japan’s warmer southern prefectures to the chillier north.
There are three sakura trees that are considered to be the absolute peak of the pink-flowers.
First up is the Miharu Takizakura, found in the Miharumachi section of Tamuragun County in Fukushima Prefecture. Sakura have long been revered in Japan, with the practice of holding cherry blossom viewing parties, or hanami, said to date back to at least the 8th century. As such, many of the most beautiful specimens have been lovingly cared for over hundreds of years. The Miharu Takizakura, which is over 1,000 years old.The tree is 12 meters (39 feet, 4 inches) tall, and at its widest point the canopy measures 25 meters across. Takizakura literally means “waterfall sakura,” and is a reference to the weeping tree’s curved branches, and also serves as a metaphor for the way the flowers’ petals cascade down from them after the sakura reach full bloom.
The Usuzumi Sakura in Moyosu, Gifu Prefecture, which is over 1,500 years old has also reached the millennium mark. According to historical records, the 16-meter-tall tree was planted by Japan’s Emperor Keitai, who reigned over the country during the early sixth century. Like the Mihara Takizakura, the Usuzumi Sakura has a meaningful name. Translating as“pale black ink sakura,” it refers to the colors of the trees’ flowers. Prior to the flowers’ opening, their buds are a soft pink, and in full bloom, they’re almost entirely white. When they fall from the tree, however, they turn a pale ashen color, hence the name.
Finally, the oldest of Japan’s three great sakura trees is Yamanashi Prefecture’s Jindaizakura, in the Takekawacho district of Hokuto City.Meaning “divine generations sakura,” the tree is appropriately within the grounds of Jissoji Temple. Its exact age is unknown, although estimates place it somewhere around1,800 to 2,000 years.
Sakura are notoriously fickle regarding when they’ll bloom, but in most years the Usuzumi Sakura and Jindaizakura are at their most beautiful in early April. Being the farthest north of the three, the Miharu Takizakura blooms in mid to late April, meaning that as long as you don’t mind a bit of travelling about, with good timing you can hit all three of Japan’s best sakura trees before their petals hit the ground.
-The more you know~
