Last update: Augusts 30, 2020
The Japanese legend of Sakura dates back hundreds of years. At that time the lords of the fiefdoms challenged each other in battles in which many humble fighters died, thus spreading sadness and desolation in the country. Due to the succession of wars, moments of peace were very rare.
Nevertheless, there was a splendid wood that the war had not yet touched, full of luxuriant trees that exhaled delicate perfumes and consoled the tormented inhabitants of ancient Japan. Despite all the battles that took place every day, none of the armies dared to defile this natural beauty. Let's see together how the Japanese legend of Sakura continues.
"That love is everything, that's all we know about love."
-Emily Dickinson-
In that wonderful wood stood a tree that never bloomed. Although full of life, flowers never appeared on its branches. That is why it looked like a dead tree, twisted and dry. Although he was alive, he seemed doomed not to enjoy the color and aromas of flowering.
A touch of magic
The tree stood alone. The animals did not approach him for fear of being infected by the same disease, not even the grass grew in his surroundings. Loneliness, his only companion. The legend of Sakura tells that a forest fairy was moved to see the tree appear old, despite being young.
One night the fairy appeared next to the tree and with noble words whispered to him that she would like to see it luxuriant and radiant, and that she was willing to help him. She then she made him her proposal of her: she would cast a spell that would last 20 years. During this time, the tree would prove what the human heart feels. Maybe he would get excited and find flowering.
The fairy added that he could transform himself into a human being and back into a plant at any time, as he wished. However, if at the end of his 20s he failed to recover his vitality and beauty, he would die immediately.
The meeting with Sakura
Just as the fairy said, the tree discovered that it could take the form of a man and go back to being a tree whenever it wanted. He tried to spend long periods among humans, to see if their emotions could help him in his purpose to flourish. Initially, however, he received a disappointment: around him he saw nothing but hatred and war.
This pushed him to return to his original form for long periods, and so the months and then the years passed. The tree was the same as it always was and could not find the turning point in human beings that could free him from his condition. One day, however, after turning into human, he walked to a crystal clear stream and there he saw a beautiful young woman. It was Sakura. Impressed by her beauty, the human-like tree approached her.
Sakura was kind to him. In return for her kindness, he helped her carry the water home. On the way they chatted animatedly, and with a streak of sadness about the state of war their country was in, sharing their dreams of hope.
The miracle of love
When the young woman asked him what his name was, only one word came to the tree: “Yohiro”, which means hope. A deep friendship was born between the two. They met every day to converse, to sing and read poems and books full of wonderful stories. The more he knew Sakura, the more he felt the need to be by her side. When he wasn't with her, he counted the minutes he needed to see her.
One day Yohiro couldn't help himself anymore and confessed all his love to Sakura. He also confessed her true nature to her: it was a tormented tree that would soon die because it failed to flower. Sakura was impressed and remained silent. Time had passed and the 20-year deadline was approaching. Yohiro, who returned to take on the shape of a tree, felt more and more sad.
One afternoon, when he least expected it, Sakura showed up at his side. She hugged him and told him she loved him too. She didn't want him to die, she didn't want anything bad to happen to him. It was then that the fairy appeared again and asked Sakura to choose: remain human or merge with Yohiro in the form of a tree.
She looked around and remembered the desolate, war-torn fields. Then he chose to merge forever with Yohiro. And here the two merged and became one, and as if by a miracle, the tree blossomed. The word Sakura means "Cherry Blossom", but the tree didn't know it. Since then, their love has perfumed the fields of Japan.
