Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
into northern Japan unil it inally arrives in Hokkaidō around the beginning of May. Japanese turn out
in large numbers at parks, shrines and temples with family and friends to hold lower viewing paries,
at which they will recite poetry about cherry trees. Much saké may be imbibed. Cherry blossoms are
deeply symbolic in Japanese culture. The brilliance of their blooms represents the beauty of youth:
their ephemeral nature, the transience of life, and death. There are many types of flowering cherries
and several hundred culivars are recognized. Their blossoms range from almost pure white with a
touch of pink to the deepest rose red. Flowers may come in single or double varieties. The classic pet-
al, reminiscent of clouds or snow, and found in Tokyo and Washington, DC, is the Yoshino (
染井吉野
;
Somei-yoshino
; Lain:
Prunus
×
yedoensis
).
1
NAGO
名護市
Let's begin in Nago (
名護市
; Nago-shi), Okinawa's third largest city. It has a population of
approximately 60,000 which, of course, is really not very large. It's a pleasant enough place
with a large public beach. It's nestled against some fairly steep hills and spills down to meet
the East China Sea on Nago Bay (
名護湾
; Nago-wan). There's a port but it's mostly for local
fisherman and light industry. It's not a commercial port and there is no ferry service from it
to anywhere. Nago hosts two big events every year. In the fall, mid-November, the city hosts
the Tour de Okinawa bicycle marathon. In the spring, there is the Sakura (
桜
or
櫻
;
さくら
)
or Cherry Blossom Festival. The Okinawa Sakura is known throughout Japan as it marks the
official beginning of the cherry blossom season. Avid blossom viewers will start in Nago, Ok-
inawa, one of Japan's southernmost places, follow the blooms up to the mainland, then on to
Tokyo and from there north all the way to Hokkaido. The expected peak blooming dates are
widely reported in the media and TV camera crews move from place to place following the
season.
