A few years ago, one of my friends showed me a photo of beautiful cherry blossoms on Mt. Yoshino in Nara Prefecture, Japan. While there are famous cherry blossom viewing spots all over Japan, Mt. Yoshino holds a special place as one of the most famous. Although I had seen thousands of cherry blossoms on Mt. Yoshino in magazines, when she excitedly described how splendid the cherry blossoms were with her photo, I was truly impressed. Don't you think these cherry blossoms are simply amazing?
Cherry blossoms on Mt.Yoshino in Nara, Japan
The cherry blossoms of Mt. Yoshino have been written in many waka, traditional Japanese poems, since ancient times. Even today, Mt. Yoshino remains abundant in nature, much like it was in ancient times, so looking at photos makes me feel as though I have been drawn into the world of waka poetry.
Unlike the cherry blossoms at other famous spots, the cherry blossoms on Mt. Yoshino are not just for cherry blossom viewing but are carefully protected as religious symbols closely related to mountain worship.
Approximately 1,300 years ago, Enno Gyoja (役行者)carved an image of Zao Gongen (蔵王権現) into a cherry tree and it is believed that the image would save the people in Japan and make the cherry tree a sacred symbol.
Since then, tree planting has continued, with approximately 30,000 trees currently planted, mainly Shiroyamazakura (白山桜). The best time to see them is in the order of Shimosenbon (下千本), Nakasenbon (中千本), Kamisenbon (上千本), and Okusenbon(奥千本), as they bloom from the bottom to the top of the mountain, offering a prolonged viewing period. This year, Shimosenbon will start to bloom from March 30th, followed by the Nakasenbon, Kamisenbon, and Okusenbon, with the latter expected to be in full bloom around April 14th. Currently, Mt. Yoshino is registered as a World Heritage Site.
While cherry blossoms can be seen in many places, viewing the cherry blossoms of Mt. Yoshino may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience I desire. I already missed a chance this year.
However, this month, I made cherry blossom-shaped Japanese sweets while thinking about Mt. Yoshino, and shared them at workshops and events. To my surprise, everyone loved the homemade Sakura Japanese sweets. Since the Sakura season is continuing, should I make more? Please enjoy the beautiful cherry blossom season!
Homemade cherry blossom-shaped Japanese sweets -Kohakuto （琥珀糖）