Cherry Blossom Viewing

This is an event where people go out into the mountains and fields to enjoy eating, drinking, and playing, mainly to admire cherry blossoms. The Japanese archipelago is long from north to south and has many ups and downs, so the flowering period is not fixed, and it takes place between March 3rd and April 8th of the lunar calendar. Originally, it was not an event of personal hobby or refinement, but an event where people set up temporary hearths outdoors to eat and drink, as a taboo before the start of the agricultural season. It is also called mountain play, seaside play, March field, Hiina meal, and kamakoyaki. For example, the kamakoyaki event in Kamihei County, Iwate Prefecture, is held on March 3rd, when children form groups of about 10 people, build a hearth on the riverbank, cook food, and play all day. They also play games of destroying the hearths of other groups. In many regions, clam soup is added to the March Festival food, a remnant of the days when people caught and ate clams while playing on the seashore. As cooking outdoors became simpler, people began to pack food cooked at home in stacked boxes and take it with them.

In ancient and medieval times, cherry blossom viewing was enjoyed among aristocrats and samurai, but in early modern times, feudal lords and townspeople alike took to the mountains and fields with flower-viewing bento boxes and sake cups. Artificial cherry trees were planted in temple and shrine grounds, squares, embankments and other areas near cities to create "famous cherry blossom viewing spots," and in Edo, famous spots included Gotenyama in Shinagawa, Asukayama, Mukojima, Ueno, Asakusa and Koganei. More and more famous spots were created thereafter, and cherry blossom viewing as an outing spread. Cherry blossom viewing continues to this day, but there are some groups such as companies that compete for spots, hold parties under the cherry blossoms at night, and party until late into the night.

[Shoji Inoguchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

主として桜の花を観賞するため、野山に出て飲食し遊ぶ行事。日本列島は南北に長く、また起伏も著しいため開花時期が一定せず、旧暦の3月3日から4月8日ごろまでの間に行われる。もとは個人の趣味や風流の行事ではなく、農事の開始に先だつ物忌みのため、屋外に臨時のかまどを設けて飲食する行事であった。山遊び、磯(いそ)遊び、三月場(さんがつば)、ひいな飯、かまこ焼きなどともいう。たとえば、岩手県上閉伊(かみへい)郡のかまこ焼きは3月3日の行事で、子供たちが10人前後の組をつくり、川原にかまどを築いて煮炊きをして一日中遊ぶ。他の組のかまどを荒らす遊びもある。多くの地方で三月節供の料理に蛤(はまぐり)の吸い物を添えるのは、磯遊びで蛤をとって食べた名残(なごり)である。屋外での炊事が簡略化されると、家で料理したものを重箱に詰めて持って行くようになる。

　古代・中世においては貴族・武家の間で行われたが、近世には大名も町人も、花見弁当や酒器を持って山野に繰り出した。都市近郊の社寺境内、広場、堤などには、人工的に桜を植えて「桜の名所」をつくりだし、江戸では品川御殿山(ごてんやま)、飛鳥(あすか)山、向島(むこうじま)、上野、浅草、小金井(こがねい)などが著名であった。その後も次々に名所ができ、行楽の花見は広がった。現代も花見の行楽は続いているが、一部には、会社などの団体で争って場所をとり、夜桜の下で宴会を開き、夜遅くまで騒ぐ人たちもいる。

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