When spring hits the Japanese lands, everything in the landscape changes from pristine white snow to colorful soils that are covered with cherry petals. The blossoming of sakura is one of the most emblematic symbols of Japan, but behind these beautiful flowers hides an ancient legend that teaches us a great lesson about true love.
Sakura, or cherry blossom, is a tree endemic to Japan that blooms announcing the arrival of spring. But beyond being a tree species that lives in that region of the planet, sakuras stand as a profound symbol for the entire Japanese culture. They symbolize the transience of life, since throughout the year they gather their greatest nutrients to sprout their white and pink petals in spring. However, the spectacle lasts only a few days, as they then fall to the ground, the very representation that life is ephemeral despite its great beauty.
But in addition, sakuras have other deep meanings for the Japanese that come from the ancient legend that does not teach about peace and true love. This legend arose in ancient Japan, when feudal lords led great battles for control of the lands. At that time the country was immersed in war and sadness reigned.
The legend of Japan’s sakuras
Legend says that despite the gloom that covered Japan, in the middle of nature rose a beautiful forest that had not been touched by the war. Full of leafy trees, that place had survived the sadness, but in its midst there was an exception. A tree that, although it had great strength in its branches, never bloomed, for this reason the animals of the forest feared it and did not approach it, even the grass did not believe around it.
According to legend, a forest fairy was deeply moved when she saw the gloom of the tree being. She decided to approach him and with noble words she let him know that she wanted to see him bloom like the other trees, so she proposed to cast a spell so that he could find the warmth of life, only then could he bloom from the shadows. The spell would last 20 years in which the tree could choose at will between being human or remaining a tree, but its mission was to find the emotions that would help it flourish. At the end of this time, if he managed to recover his vitality, he would flourish; however, if he did not succeed, he would die instantly.
The tree accepted and tried to live as a man for a long time, however, he only found deep sadness when he saw hatred and war. He continued to wander as a man without finding anything in human life that could move him to find vitality. But one day while walking towards a crystal clear stream to rest, he observed a beautiful young woman that he was carrying in the distance. Impressed by her beauty, the tree turned into a man decided to approach her and ask her name, then he knew her name was Sakura.
The young woman was very kind to him and to reciprocate her, he decided to help her carry the water to her home. Along the way, they talked sadly about the war and the gloomy atmosphere that permeated ancient Japan. When the young woman asked the name of the tree, it did not occur to him to say anything other than ‘Yohiro’ which means ‘hope’.
Over the next few days, Sakura and Yohiro gathered to talk, sing, and read poems about hope and books with wonderful stories. Little by little love arose and one day Yohiro confessed who she really was; a tormented tree that would soon die because it had not managed to bloom yet. Sakura, very impressed, remained silent, the 20-year period was about to expire.
Then Yohiro took the form of a tree again, he had not achieved his goal and on the contrary, he felt sadder every time. But one afternoon Sakura came to him and with great enthusiasm hugged him to confess that she loved him too. At that moment the forest fairy appeared again and told Sakura to choose between remaining human or merging with Yohiro in form.
Sakura meditated for a moment and remembered the desolate fields of the war, without saying a word she chose to merge with her great love forever. Then Yohiro finally found the warmth of life and together, united in one being, they managed to flourish. Since then, love perfumes the fields of Japan in the form of sakuras, a symbol that reminds us that war only brings sadness and, on the other hand, love fills the heart with colors and warmth.