Cherry blossom, the national flower of Japan have to be one of my favourite things in the whole world. They are so beautiful but so fleeting. Maybe that’s what makes them even more special. We only have a limited time to soak in their smell, colour and energy before they are carried away on the wind.
In Japanese culture, the cherry blossom (sakura) represents renewal and optimism. The pops of pink and white are also a main theme in Buddhist faith and symbolise the transience of time. The lifespan of blossoms is about two weeks before the beautiful blooms begin to fall.
When I was last in Dublin, we made the most of blossom season with a trip to Herbert Park. This park has the highest population of cherry blossoms in the city and they were so beautiful to see. In Japan, the custom where all ages gather to view and celebrate cherry blossom season is called hanami. We spent about an hour walking beneath the trees and stumbled across a busy bowls court, lined by the most beautiful houses. This suburb is one of the most desirable places to live in Ireland and you can see why being so close to town and natural beauty.
I’m so glad we visited and there’s really nothing better than an afternoon in the sunshine with family and honouring hanami from Ireland!