Cherry blossom lingo: a single cherry blossom tree

Today I have been introducing various cherry blossom terms that are used frequently in Japan. The previous post in this cherry blossom 'lingo' series introduced the phrase for a landscaped row of cherry blossom trees.  In this post: the term for a single cherry blossom tree. That is, a cherry blossom tree that stands completely alone and is revered for its beauty.

A single cherry blossom tree

Apart from rows, corridors and tunnels of cherry blossom trees, there are stand alone cherry blossom trees that are renowned for their singular beauty. In Japanese the term is Ippon sakura or Ippon zakura. More often than not, Ippon sakura / zakura of note are old cherry blossom trees, that are more than 100 years old. There are some that are as old as 1000 years. Isn't that incredible? 

A lot of the ippon sakura are a variety of weeping cherry blossom trees.  The one in this post is a weeping cherry blossom. It was grown from a branch of one of the oldest, most revered cherry blossom trees in all of Japan: Miharu no Takizakura. Miharu no Takizakura is believed to be more than a 1000 years old. It is one of the three most famous cherry blossom trees in Japan and is a designated National Monument. Its 'child' does not have the same fame yet, but it is much loved locally and attracts hundreds of visitors each year.

Did you or will you visit an ippon zakura this year?