Cherry blossom

桜 sakura

Cherry blossom

The brief, brilliant bloom celebrates life's beauty and new beginnings; the quintessential spring motif, good for school entrance and graduation gifts.

Heian period (court cherry viewing from the 9th century)

Flower viewing in the Nara period centred on imported plum; in the Heian period the native cherry took over, with Emperor Saga holding a cherry party in 812 and The Tale of Genji depicting cherry viewing. Samurai adopted it as a mark of refinement, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi held lavish parties. In the Edo period the shoguns planted cherries at Ueno and along the Sumida so townspeople could enjoy them, and the motif spread to komon, maki-e and netsuke.

The national flower in spirit; school entrance and graduation motif.

Technique catalog · draft for review

Every way to wrap, carry and wear a furoshiki.

The furoshiki.com archive, sliced into annotated steps with plain directions, plus techniques found in research.