travel
SEASON OF
Sakura
PHOTOS • RYAN BURGER | TEXT • RACHEL KUHN
I remember the air was cool . It almost always is during January in Okinawa and we were fortunate enough to go out in search of cherry blossoms on a sunny day .
The drive up to Nago is beautiful . If you ’ ve ever been up that way for the Churaumi Aquarium or made the long ( by Oki standards ) trip to Okuma , you know what I mean . The coastal views along Route 58 are absolutely gorgeous and make the , sometimes traffic laden , trip worth the slow pace . If you ’ ve lived on Okinawa for longer than one cherry blossom season , you also know that you start to see the blooms popping up everywhere during January . Even here on Kadena we have some beautiful cherry blossom trees . However , nothing quite compares to the cherry blossom tree-lined streets and mountainsides that you ’ ll see in Nago and Northern Okinawa .
It seems as though , of any flower or greenery , cherry blossoms epitomize Japanese design and décor . You see them all over the place in pottery , glassware , bingata , jewelry and fabric . Cherry blossoms are to Japan what the Eiffel Tower is to France – they ’ re about as iconic as it gets and with good reason . There ’ s something about the stark contrast of the bright pink blossoms with their crisp blue sky backdrop that eliminates any wonder why locals and tourists alike flock to see these flourishes paint the island pink . Add in a Japanese White Eye , or Mejiro , and you ’ ve got the makings of a framable photograph … or at least one that ’ s fridge-worthy . These tiny yellow birds are well-known across Okinawa and are an added bonus of cherry blossom viewing . They ’ re not ones to sit still for long except when the cherry blossoms are in bloom .
Aside from their natural beauty , the cherry blossoms , or sakura , have a deep history in Japan that doesn ’ t revolve around tourism . Long ago , the cherry blossoms were used to predict harvest seasons and they became a symbol of hope and renewal – ideals which farmers and their families must not be lacking . The blooms are a sign of spring , giving even more hope that the cold will come to an end with the promise of warmer days ahead . Now , we know in Okinawa it doesn ’ t get that cold , but it gets cold enough to prompt these buds to open . Spring brings with it new life in many ways , and the cherry blossoms are no different . In Japan , the blooms also symbolize human life and its brevity . Since the sakura are only in bloom for about a week in any given region , many people in Japan host flower viewing parties , also called hanami , as a way to celebrate the blossoms and what they represent .
Though blooms and weather can be unpredictable at times , some of the best places to see cherry blossoms on Okinawa are Nago , Mt . Yae and Nakijin Castle . Each offers a different experience of flower viewing . The Nago Cherry Blossom Festival has vendors , live entertainment , and food . Whereas Mt . Yae and Nakijin Castle offer a bit more of a quiet environment for cherry blossom viewing .
Cherry blossoms are only in bloom once a year on Okinawa , and if you can imagine , this already beautiful island becomes even more vibrant and alive with the bright pink blooms of the sakura .
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