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Apr 17, 2025

Beautiful Japanese words for the cherry blossom season

Sakura is the word for cherry blossoms in Japan. I have seen people posting on social media in America that use the term sakura for cherry blossoms, but I don't know if the word is widely known. However, if you visit Japan during cherry blossom season, even just a visit as fleeting as the cherry blossoms themselves, no doubt you will know the term sakura


Beautiful Japanese words for the cherry blossom season photo


But there are also dozens of terms related to sakura in the Japanese language. I read before that there are more than 70 Japanese cherry blossom terms. In the series "Cherry Blossom lingo" I introduced ten of them. Here is those ten in summation and each is linked to more information, and a photo of each, on City-cost.


10 Cherry blossom lingo terms


They are in chronological order of when I posted them on City-cost.


  1. Hanamushiro and Sakura Jutan that are used to describe a 'carpet of cherry blossom petals'. 
  2. Sakura tonneru the term used for a 'tunnel of cherry blossoms'.
  3. Hanafubuki, one of my personal favorites, which describes a 'shower of cherry blossom petals'
  4. Hanaikada the Japanese term for 'a raft of cherry blossoms' on water.
  5. Sakura Namiki used when you are describing a row of cherry blossoms.
  6. Ipponzakura refers to a stand alone, usually ancient, cherry blossom.
  7. Yozakura is the term for viewing cherry blossoms at night.
  8. Hana no Ukihashi is the say for a floating bridge of flowers.
  9. Sakasazakura, another of my personal favorites, is the term for cherry blossoms reflected in water so they look like upside-down cherry blossoms.
  10. Doubukizakura or magogaezakura the terms used to describe a cherry blossom growing directly on a tree trunk.


There are many more and I may introduce some more in the future. With the exception of number 10 on the list, I hear the terms in this post frequently during the cherry blossom season. Number 10 I think isn't that commonly used, but I just love the term magogaezakura. Which one do you most commonly hear?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

Former nickname was "Saitama". Changed it to save confusion on place review posts! Irish, 20+ years in Japan! I also write on my personal website: insaitama.com


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