Hello, I am Tomomi Yamashita, a teacher at this school.

It’s March already!

Last week my daughter and I went to Atami (Shizuoka Prefecture) to visit a hot spring.

Atami has long been a famous hot spring spot in Kanto, conveniently located two hours from Tokyo near the coast.

The first day we arrived, it was very warm and we walked to Kinomiya Shrine where there is a 2100-year-old camphor tree.

The camphor tree has been worshipped as sacred by ancient people as “the tree in which the gods reside”.

The tree has survived natural disasters for 2100 years and continues to grow, making it a symbol of “longevity” and “good health”.

It is said that walking around the tree extends one’s life span by one year. It was a special shrine where we could feel the power of nature.

Thus, in Japan, there is a belief that gods reside in natural things.
I wondered if the custom of appreciating and cherishing nature was one of the reasons that led to the spread of tsumami kanzashi.

Afterward, we walked to the beach, where the cherry blossoms were already in bloom! It was no surprise to me that the cherry blossoms were blooming so early this year, as we could walk outside in just a shirt without a coat. 

It seems that the cherry blossoms are blooming early this year, and it is expected to bloom on March 21 in Tokyo.