正文

又逢"花见会" 日本迎来赏樱热潮

2010-04-01来源:和谐英语

Spring has begun, and so has Japan's obsession with cherry blossoms.

The pale pink blossoms or "sakura" are in full bloom, signaling that it's time to flock to parks across the country for picnics under the cherry trees.

At Tokyo's Yoyogi Park, people waited for hours to reserve the best spots to view the picturesque trees.

"I really enjoy sitting down here with my friends eating and joking around," said 17-year-old student Megumi Kohara.

These flower-viewing parties called "hanami," or "flower viewing" in Japanese, are spring traditions held among families, friends, or co-workers. Parties beneath the cherry trees can go on all day and night, especially during the weekends.

The cherry blossoms are also associated with new beginnings as the country's business and school years start on April 1.

As the blossoms -- a national obsession found in paintings, poetry and literature dating back centuries -- appear only briefly, throngs rush to catch a glimpse of them before spring rains sweep their fragile petals to the ground.

Some Japanese say that the cherry blossoms' ephemeral nature serves as a poignant reminder of how life itself is fleeting.

Unlike in many countries, it is not illegal in Japan to drink in public spaces and the hanami get-togethers involve plentiful beer and sake.

"Cherry blossoms bloom for such a short period of time and then they fall off in a dramatic way and I like to enjoy them while drinking," Tsuneo Ikuhara, 65, said.

春天来了，日本各地的赏樱热潮也开始了。

浅粉色的樱花盛开枝头，吸引了全国各地的人们涌入公园，在樱花树下举行野餐聚会。

在东京的代代木公园里，人们为了预订到最佳的赏樱地点不惜等上好几个小时。

17岁的学生小原惠美说：“我真的很喜欢坐在樱花树下和朋友一起吃吃东西，聊聊天。”

日本人称这样的赏花聚会为“花见会”，在日语里的意思是“观赏樱花”。“花见会”是日本人春日里的传统活动，亲朋好友及同事们在樱花树下野餐聚会，有时一玩就是一个通宵，尤其是在周末。

盛开的樱花还意味着新的开始，因为日本的公司和学校都在四月一日开始运营。

几个世纪以来，樱花一直是日本绘画、诗歌和文学的热门题材。因为樱花花期很短，许多人都赶在娇嫩的花瓣被春雨打落之前去一睹芳容。

一些日本人说樱花的转瞬即逝让人联想到生命本身的短暂。

和很多国家不同，在公共场所饮酒在日本并不违法，所以在花见会上，人们会喝很多的啤酒和日本清酒。

65岁的几原恒雄说：“樱花在短暂地盛开之后戏剧般地凋零，我喜欢一边喝酒一边欣赏它们。”

Vocabulary:

picturesque: pretty, especially in a way that looks old-fashioned 优美的；古色古香的