※Translated with Notion AI. (Plus version)
It is the day of “Peaches Begin to Smile”
Today, in the 72 seasons (*), it is the day of “Peaches Begin to Smile” (Momo Hajimete Warau).
Just like a smile, the buds of the peach trees begin to open, and the Hanamomo (flowering peach trees) start to bloom.
The Hanamomo bloom in this period, serving as a bridge between the blooming periods of plum and cherry blossoms. They look like they are smiling beautifully, don’t they?
[Plums that bloom ahead of spring, peaches that open in the height of spring, and cherries that scatter along with the passing spring]
Actually, the character “Saki” originally means to laugh, and “Warau” means to bloom.
If you look closely at the characters, “Warau” has a “Takekanmuri” (bamboo crown), and “Saki” has a “Kuchi-hen” (mouth radical).
Perhaps the people of old felt a rich emotion of joy when they saw a blooming flower.
(Although it is not used in daily conversation, there is a word “Hanaemi” which means “flower smile”)
Peaches, which were already known in Japan in the Yayoi period, were considered sacred trees that ward off evil spirits in ancient China.
🎵“Let’s light the bonbori, let’s give flowers of the peach blossoms” 🎶
Wishing for the healthy growth of girls, the Hanamomo, which has the effect of warding off evil spirits, is the perfect flower for the Doll Festival.
Now, the flower language of Hanamomo is “I am your captive (Koi no Toriko)”. Isn’t this a flower language worth remembering?
Why not head to the flower shop and buy one?
I asked one of the tree doctors who was managing the famous peach spot in Kanagawa Prefecture,“Onna-saka Hanamomo no Michi (along the Tokaido Shinkansen in Yoda)” about how to choose such a peach tree.
