The Meaning of Cherry Blossoms for Japanese Communities and their Relation to the Wabi Sabi Philosophy

Abstract

Cherry blossom is the pride of Japanese society. Aside from its beauty, cherry blossom
has a meaning that influences every Japanese life. The philosophy of wabi sabi is a Japanese
way of life as a way of discovering the beauty of imperfections and accepting immortality.
This study aims to describe the meaning of cherry blossoms and their relation to the
philosophy of wabi sabi in Japanese people's lives
From research by CukYuwana (2010), the meaning of cherry blossoms symbolizes the
beauty of a Japanese woman who is white, smooth and beautiful. As well as the research of
Felisia Gunawan (2012) the wabisabi element in haiku cannot be seen and felt thickly if only
seen from one by one the words and lines that exist. The theory used by the authors in this
thesis is a cultural theory that is very closely related to humans (Sartono Kartodirdjo, 1987),
The concept of wabi sabi about seeking beauty from imperfections (Andrew Juniper, 2003).
The concept of meaning in the form of value is meant by the reader (Mansoer Pateda, 2001)
The method used by the writer in this research is descriptive method, which is a
method in examining the status of a group of people, an object, a set of conditions, a system of
thought or a class of events at the present time. Data collection techniques are library methods,
namely the grouping of data in accordance with the research the author conducted according to
the discussion. The data analysis technique used is descriptive data analysis method which is a
method of research technique that seeks to describe and interpret objects as they are
The meaning of cherry blossom in society includes (1) the social meaning which is
seen from the activities of Hanami, (2) the religious meaning which considers cherry blossom
as the abode of God, (3) the aesthetic meaning that makes cherry blossom an object of art.
Wabi sabi is the view and way of life of Japanese people, so the writer analyzes the concept of
wabi sabi in cherry blossoms and is related in Japanese people's lives, among others, (1)
imperfection, accepting what they have, (2) impermanence, using a short time in life , (3)
simplicity, which is a hidden luxury.
Keywords: cherry bblossom, wabi-sabi, philosophy, society