Ohanami, Ohisashiburi

For the first time in 3 years, since before the pandemic started, we visited my alma mater and saw the cherry blossom trees there!

The Japanese phrase ohisashiburi (お久しぶり) is a stock phrase you often hear in Japanese meaning “long time no see!”, and that was the feeling we had when we visited the trees. Prior to pandemic, we came to view the cherry blossoms every year in a Japanese tradition called ohanami (お花見). I have photos going all the way back when my daughter, now in high school, was just a little girl sitting on my shoulders, reaching up to the cherry trees. In Japanese, these are called sakura (桜). 🌸

As mentioned in a past post, you can spot the difference between plum blossoms and sakura cherry blossoms if you look at the petal shape.

In Japan, especially places like Ueno Park in Tokyo, Ohanami is a big outing. You might go with your coworkers in a big work event, and if you’re the new guy you get stuck trying to reserve a spot to lay out a picnic blanket, organize food, etc. Or, you might go with friends and family, but again trying to get an open spot on the ground for a picnic blanket would not be easy. Of course, many youngsters like to get a little tipsy too while enjoying the nice weather and cherry blossoms.

My family and I have done a few picnics under our cherry trees, but this year we are still being a bit cautious around crowds, plus the weather was still lousy, so we didn’t stay too long. But we did manage to pick up some good Chinese dim sum, bubble tea, and enjoy the rest of the day.

Cherry blossoms come and go, but if that doesn’t make you appreciate the impermanence of life, and to savor it, I don’t know what does.