Another important role of Yasukuni shrine is declaration of new fiscal year with Sakura & beer

JAP cultureJul 19, 2014

1 1,564 2 minutes read

standard sakura tree in Yasukuni shrine — this is standard Sakura tree in Yasukuni shrine. it seem to be not so special tree. but it’s very important tree for Japanese people who are waiting for spring.

Yasukuni controversy isn’t important for middle class Japanese.

Now days, we cannot talk about Yasukuni shrine without mentioning to Japanese war crime.

Even though we don’t hope it, Yasukuni shrine is creating controversy and now, it is the Yasukuni shrine’s most famous role internationally.

Japanese politicians seem to make use of Yasukuni shrine, but young Japanese people don’t care about it so much. We, middle class Japanese is interesting in beautiful Sakura & drinking more than serious political preblem.

But I understand it is still delicate problem. it means you should go to other web pages to find decent opinions.

Here I want to tell another important role of Yasukuni shrine that lots of foreign people don’t know so much maybe.

Another important role of Yasukuni shrine is messengers to tell of the arrival of spring in Japan.

Japanese fiscal year start in Spring. it’s very special season for Japanese.

Such memorial season is colored by beautiful pink cherry blossom. this is the reason Japanese people love cherry blossom.

Yasukuni shrine declare the begins of spring. we can say it declare of new year.

It’s very important role for Japanese.

Such declaration is based on the standard sakura tree in Yasukuni shrine.

Standard Sakura tree is important role of Yasukuni shrine

Using those trees, the flowering dates are determined by various evaluations considering the temperatures measured in the winter and forecast temperatures in the spring.

When five or six buds of a standard tree begin to burst, the flowering is announced, which is called ‘Kaika Sengen’ (declaration of flowering) by the mass media.

It means Yasukuni shrine tell Japanese people the start of spring season and start of year.

At the same time, Japanese people use Yasukuni shrine for their cherry blossom viewing party.

During sakura season, lots of temporary food stalls open in Yasukuni shrine to support Sakura viewing party. Such food stalls selling variety of foods and alcohols.

We spread portable sheet on the ground and sit and eat & drink on it in crowded Yasukuni shrine.

It’s really short fun time during sakura season for Japanese people.