Hanami

Last week I received a text message from a Japanese friend. He wanted to know if I would like to go to a nearby river to view the cherry blossoms (sakura), this is called hanami (flower viewing).

Hanami is an important time of the year for many Japanese. The short life of the sakura is seen as a thing of wonder and beauty.

After walking along the riverside, both sides of which were covered with the stunning blossoms, I reflected on some of the differences in male society in Australia and Japan. In Japan it is perfectly natural to invite a male friend to go and look at flowers. I don't think this happens much in Australia.

Cherry Blossoms and Graduation

When I walked into the staffroom at school today, I was a little surprised to see some 10 foot cherry tree cuttings in a bucket.

I found out that using the warmth of the room, the teachers speed up the flowering of the buds. They can then use the spectacular cherry blossom laden branches to decorate the auditorium for the upcoming graduation ceremony.