Life Is Fleeting

The significance of the sakura is in its fleeting nature, glorious for ten days and then gone. In theory (so I've heard), the ohanami parties beneath the trees are to reflect on the fleeting nature of our own lives - in practice, they're a good opportunity to reflect on the fleeting nature of a bottle of sake. All in good fun. "All people are like grass, and their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever." -1 Peter 1:24