It’s March and that means spring is upon us with the first day of spring only days away. To the Japanese, spring is unanimous with pale pink petals graced by blue skies and the scent of Cherry Blossom.
Every year Japan celebrates the beauty of the Cherry Blossom with many special festivals and events known as the Cherry Blossom viewing. The Japanese Meteorological Agency even tracks the weather and seasons on the news to advise people when the Blossoming is due to begin in areas all across the country. This year, Cherry Blossoms are predicted to open according to their usual schedule in most of Japan with the exception of the Western Japan where they are forecast to open earlier than normal.
The love for the Cherry Blossom in Japan isn’t with just the smell and sight of the flowers. The tree is actually used and enjoyed in many different ways by the Japanese people. The Cherry Blossom branches and wood are used for firewood, making baskets and ornaments, and is even boiled and used as a cough syrup or dye for clothing.
The leaves and flowers of the Cherry Blossom tree are also preserved in salt and eaten as a delicacy. The preserved leaves are most commonly used as wrappers for traditional Japanese sweet that is only available in springtime, that consist of rice cake filled with a sweet bean paste.
The Cherry Blossoms are also used in traditional tea, by adding the flowers to boiling water. This tea is most commonly served at special occasions like weddings. The flowers, which have a flavor known as sakura in Japan, are also used to flavor many sweets and confectionaries across the country like macarons, cakes, ice-cream and jellies. Not only do the Japanese love the flavor, but the cakes and sweets often take on a beautiful pink color from the Blossom flowers.
Air Aroma’s Cherry Blossom fragrance is available for purchase on our online store.