Cherries Quote by Junichiro Tanizaki
“The ancients waited for cherry blossoms, grieved when they were gone, and lamented their passing in countless poems. How very ordinary the poems had seemed to Sachiko when she read them as a girl, but now she knew, as well as one could know, that grieving over fallen cherry blossoms was more than a fad or convention.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Makioka Sisters, 1948
Grieving cherry blossoms reflects deeper cultural mourning, transcending fleeting trends to reveal enduring human sorrow.
In simple terms: Cherry blossom grief shows lasting sorrow.
Key Takeaway
Recognize timeless emotions in rituals.
Themes
culture
memory
impermanence
Mood
poetic
philosophical
Type
literary
emotional
When to use this quote
- seasonal festivals
- artistic expression
- personal reflection
- historical study
Key Concepts
aesthetic melancholy
collective grief
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we cling to symbolic loss?
- How does nature mirror human grief?
A Different Perspective
Rituals may be romanticized, losing original meaning.
![“The first time I saw a fingerbowl was at the home of my benefactress. [...] The water had a few cherry blossoms in it, and I thought it must be some clear sort of Japanese after-dinner soup and ate every bit of it, including the crisp little blossoms.” quote by Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3d1/sylvia-plath-149_blossoms_the-first-time-i-saw-a-fingerbowl-was-at_521418.jpg)
