Ohanami - Festivalul florilor de cires in Japonia

Cea dintai intalnire de cultura a lunii aprilie a fost dedicata unui festival foarte bine cunoscut si indragit in Japonia numit ohanami. Ohanami este in Japonia festivalul florilor de cires, numite sakura, foarte iubite de catre japonezi si care reprezinta unul din simbolurile nationale ale Japoniei. Aceasta tema a fost abordata si prezentata de catre d-l Radu Nedisan, asistat de d-ra Stefania Mastan.

La inceputul intalnirii d-ra Minodora Buta, coordonatoarea intalnirilor de cultura ale Cercului „Prietenii Japoniei” a dat tonul prezentarii fiecaruia dintre participantii la intalnire. Dupa ce fiecare a avut ocazia sa isi impartaseasca pasiunile pentru cultura japoneza, d-l Radu a inceput prezentarea prin explicarea terminologiei, ohanami fiind varianta politicoasa a hanami, hana insemnand floare iar mi fiind substantivizarea verbului miru, a vedea. A fost descrisa pe scurt si originea acestui festival care la inceput era rezervat clasei aristocrate, urmand ca apoi sa devina un eveniment national la care putea lua parte oricine si o importanta atractie turistica.

In continuare a fost prezentata semnificatia acestui festival in care se contempla asupra efemeritatii florii de cires in primul rand, si nu numai asupra frumusetii acestuia, ducandu-ne cu gandul la conceptul estetic japonez mono no aware, care reprezinta o sensibilitate pentru lucrurile trecatoare si asupra vietii omului, care este scurta dar intensa, ca si viata florii de cires.

In cadrul prezentarii a fost aratat si modul de desfasurare al acestui festival in diferite locuri din Japonia, precum si diferite aspecte ale festivalului, de la dansuri, admirarea si contemplarea florilor ziua si noaptea, pana la picnicurile care au loc sub ciresii infloriti. A fost prezentat si calendarul valului de infloriri de anul acesta precum si latura comerciala a acestui eveniment.

In final, d-l Katsutaro Kawai a adus ultimele completari prezentarii insistand aupra conceptului mono no aware, dupa care cei prezenti au fost invitati sa participe la confectionarea unei panglici cu mesaje incurajatoare pentru japonezii care au avut de suferit in urma valurilor tsunami si a cutremurului care au avut loc in data de 11 martie 2011, panglica ce urmeaza sa fie dusa in Japonia de catre domnul Katsutaro Kawai cand acesta va vizita Japonia anul acesta in luna mai.

 Intre timp participantii la intalnire au putut servi ceai, sushi si alte bunatati pregatite de d-na Kayoko.

************English version bellow*******************

The first meeting in April was dedicated to a very well known festival in Japan called Ohanami. Ohanami is the festival of cherry blossoms viewing in Japan. Cherry trees flowers are called sakura in Japanese and they are considered to be the most beautiful flower, which made them a national symbol for Japan. The topic was approached and presented by Mr. Radu Nedisan, assisted by Ms. Stefania Mastan.

In the beginning, Ms. Minodora Buta, the coordinator of “Japan Friends” Club cultural meetings  invited the public to introduce themselves. After every participant had the chance to express their interest in Japanese culture, Mr. Radu started his presentation by introducing the terminology, ohanami being a polite version of hanami. Hana means flower and mi is a noun variety of the verb miru which means to see. The origins of the festival have also been shortly pointed out, in the beginning the festival being reserved for aristocrat classes. However today it is a festival for everyone and an important touristic attraction for both Japanese and foreigners.

Afterwards, the meaning of the festival had been presented, the festival’s main purpose being the contemplation upon sakura’s short life and not only the beauty of it, the beauty coming second, leading us to the Japanese concept of mono no aware, which represents a sensibility towards the things that do not last and towards man’s life, which is short but intense, like the cherry blossoms.

The presentation also comprised the way in which the festival takes place in different areas of Japan, as well as different faces of the festival, from all sorts of dances to flower viewing in during the night and the picnics that take place under the cherry blossoms. The calendar of the cherry blossoms of this year has also been presented as well as the commercial side of ohanami.

In the end, Mr. Katsutaro Kawai added a few more comments to the presentation, emphasizing the concept of mono no aware, after which the participants were invited to help make a strand with encouraging messages for the Japanese who had been affected by the March 11 tsunami and earthquake in Japan. The strand will be sent to Japan by Mr. Kawai when he will visit Japan in May this year. Meanwhile, the participants could serve some delicious tea, sushi and other delicious Japanese dish cooked by Ms. Kayoko.