Beneath the vibrant tapestry of Tokyo lies the Sakuragawa. A river whispers tales of blossoms and reunions. It’s not the famous Meguro-gawa, known for its cherry blossom festivals. Our Sakuragawa flows quietly through Itabashi, holding its own unique stories. The Noh play “Sakuragawa” paints a vivid picture of a mother’s desperate search for her son. She scoops fallen cherry petals from the Sakuragawa River near the Isobe-Inamura Shrine. She believes these blossoms carry the spirit of her lost child, Sakurago, whose very name means “Cherry Blossom Child”. The setting of this poignant drama, the Sakuragawa River, is described as a place renowned for its cherry blossoms. This shrine, located near the Sakuragawa’s source, is indeed historically significant for its wild cherry trees. These were not the Somei Yoshino cherries we see everywhere today. These were wild Yamazakura, blooming white after their leaves emerge. Their fame was such that during the Heian period, the Sakuragawa rivaled even the famed Yoshino in Nara for cherry blossom viewing. Ki no Tsurayuki, a renowned poet, even immortalized the Sakuragawa in a tanka poem about cherry blossoms drifting on its waters. The river’s significance resonates even in art. The artist Yamaguchi Ryuun crafted a bamboo and rattan sculpture titled “Cherry Blossom River (Sakuragawa).” This piece, residing in the Lloyd Cotsen Japanese Bamboo Basket Collection, is a testament to the enduring inspiration of this unassuming river. So, as we stand by the Sakuragawa today, remember the echoes of a mother’s love, a poet’s words, and an artist’s vision, all woven into the flowing waters.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to