“Hanamizake,”
the enjoyment of cherry-blossoms, tasting sake, and appreciating sake cups with respect and prayer.”
Introduction of Japanese sake tasting booth and traditional Japanese craft booth
We have prepared the sake tasting booth behind you.
Please enjoy sake with your preference of pottery, porcelain or lacquer-ware sake cups, which are proudly presented handmade traditional Japanese crafts.
We present the pottery, an art of earth and fire: Shigaraki ware.
We also present the beauty of fine painting on porcelain: Imari-Nabeshima ware.
Lacquer-ware is another embodiment of traditional Japanese craft.
Today, we present “Wajima lacquer-ware.” The production process consists of 124 different stages.
We also present innovative works of young artists who will bear the next generation, such as cups patterned with insect motifs.
Please enjoy sake with your preferred sake cups.
These Japanese traditional crafts are presented in the theme of “Hanamizake,” the enjoyment of cherry-blossoms, tasting sake, and appreciating sake cups with respect and prayer.”
“Hanamizake” is the Japanese custom of drinking sake while enjoying cherry-blossoms.
If you have any inquiries regarding sake cups, please ask the staff at the traditional Japanese craft booth.
For Japanese people “Sakura,” meaning cherry-blossoms, signify the coming of spring.
“Hanami,” or cherry-blossom viewing, is the custom of celebrating and admiring cherry-blossoms while enjoying a picnic meal with sake, and has been loved by Japanese people since old times.
Folklorists have said, based on an ancient Japanese faith belief, that the first letters of “Sakura,” “SA,” means “Gods of rice fields,” and “KURA” represents the divine plinth in which the Gods’ spirits dwell.
In the rice planting period, the Gods of the mountains descend to villages and become Gods of rice fields (Gods of “SA,”) and dwell in trees. Ancient people believed that tree is “Sakura.”
So, people gathered under the Sakura tree and offered sacred sake and prayed for the safe growing of the rice before planting. After offering sake to the Gods, people enjoyed drinking that sake, as a pre-event for a bountiful harvest in autumn.
“Hanami,” or cherry-blossom viewing, starts as a banquet of appreciation and prayer for nature.
In old times, Japanese nobility enjoyed the “Banquet of Hanami” as a refined custom.
This custom became an indispensable spring event for the common people and remains so today.
Saigyo, a famous Waka (Japanese poetry) poet in the 12th century, composed Waka poetry regarding “Sakura” which says:
“The sin of Sakura is in tempting many people for cherry-blossom viewing, who are so noisy while I want to enjoy quietness. The tumultuousness is the regrettable guilt of Sakura.”
The sin of Sakura still continues now, as it did more than 800 years ago.
“Hanami” is one of the most loving customs for Japanese people.
Please enjoy the feeling of “Hanamizake” by using traditional Japanese sake cups.
Planning / Executive Producer
AntennArt inc,
Akiko Nishimaki
Sanae Komatsu
英訳：峯 千晴 Chiharu Mine
知る・愉しむ日本の器「い・ろ・は n-ist 」の千尋さんと千晴さんには
２日間通訳も務めていただきました。
事前にしっかり勉強をされて、輪島塗の工程や、一人一人の作家さんの事、作品のコンセプトについて、大変美しい英語でプレゼンして下さいました。
