Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-27
JAPANESE LOVE FLOWERS.
Importance of Blossoms to People of
Island Empire.
From the New York Herald.

From the New York Herald.
Americans and Europeans may have
love for flowers, but the people of Japan
show in many ways that beautiful bios
SONS fill a much larger place in their
hearts than in those of any other people.
From the members of the royal family to
the poorest begsar in the streets the love
seems to be innate. In the palaces of
Toxic there are exquisite vases of every
description which are daily filled with rare
blossoms. But the peasant in his paper
hut is quite as particular to fill his bam-
boo vases with some blossom. Should one
chance to stay at hotel more than TWEEN
ty-four hours he will find fresh flowers
every day to replenish those which greeted
alm on his arrival. Even the half-naked
cooie will have flower of some kind STUCK
behind his ear. At every corner and all
along the streets there are numerous flower
merchants, and It is seldom that Japa-
neSe beggdr will hesitate to part with his
last coin to purchase blossom. Parents
choose flower names for their daughters,
and a japanese lady always adorns her
person with the flowers which are appro-
pirate to the season
No visitor TO the land of the cherry bios
som festival has failed to describe thS
most important occasion. The opening OF
the season Is the blooming of this mower,
and it is a national holiday. Thousands OF
people, dressed in their best, wander anoul
all day under the arch of oVerhanging rose
red trees, refreshing themselves with Tea
or rice wine at the tea houses or buying
souvenirs of the occasion at the many ut
tie shops erected for the day. Each owner
of a cherry orchard has his own private
festival and sends out invitations, ornd-
mented with cherry blossoms, to his espe-
cial friends. All sorts of games are played,
and in the evening thousands OF lanterns
are hung on the trees. The royal court N
yites the nobility and the diplomatic corps
to a garden party. 1t is also the season
for family picnics, which are looked III
bier classes. Only too soon Is the cheliS
blossom festival at an end.
The Japanese cherries are not lhtenued
10 he eaten but their value Is simply IN the
blossom 1t is the most luXurlant plooil
of all and of such Importance t1at peIP-e
tho bursting of the blossoms the tact Is au-
,.artised in all the local papers. the cheffy
80 sometimes grows as tall as an oak,
"a during the time of bloom it is so ladeh
with flowers that not Vesuge OF zeal -
visible The flowers nave also d 0ihS uiS't
and delicate perfume. ..,,.+o,,, n,
Tananese women have pretty custom u
MAILING their dresses correspond TO the
flowers which are in season. Az the Siei-'
blossom, festival they wear klmonos EN-
brnidared with the flower so much IN eVl-
Jaron ,bnp When the aZalea season comes
tbie garment is replaced with one coNelSu
tel directive sprays of the Varl-coioieo
ozaIaas and this in turn gives way peloiS
tho wistaria and chrySanthenuin. .,o
II, the arrangement OF thelf ho"eis -
people of Japan show eredt az Notanca
ETanh senarate bud Is allowed It's chahce
I4aI I ~ nirad a single flower held by
r,,StaI vase makes a feast Tor the eses
-binb is not forthcoming when DOZENS "a
We noloesous are crowded together anu 'i9-i
indiyidual charm entirely lost.