speech "flower viewing"

The season of cherry blossoms is just around the corner.
It won’t be long before the entire country is transformed into a fairy land colored pale pink.
It is widely believed that the flower viewing custom began in imperial court in Kyoto early in the Heian Period.
One of the most famous flower viewing,Hanami was hold by the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi at Daigo temple in Kyoto on March 15th in 1598.
Hideyoshi was born in 1537 as the son of a poor farmer in a village in Owari province.
Hedeyoshi succeeded his former lord ,Oda Nobunaga after his victory at Mount Tennozan and brought an end to the Sengoku period.
After successfully bringing the entire country under his control,Hideyoshi led a procession of 1300 people from Fushimi castle to Daigo temole to hold a festive party there, composing poems and holding performances of Nou while admiring the cherry blossoms.
Hideyoshi was interested in the arts such as Nou and the tea ceremony because he needed to show his leadership. He wasn’t born to the upper class family so he wanted to use the arts to make him an appealing leader.
Before holding Hanami Hideyoshi visited Daigo temple and found the temple had fallen into ruin. Daigo temple is a Shingon Buddhist temple. The main image is Yakushi. Rigen daishi founded the temple in 874.
The priest of the temple said “ During the war the temple was broken. Now we don’t have enough money to reconstruct it.”
Hideyoshi said “You mean we samurai broke the temple. Then I’ll reconstruct it.”
Hideyoshi ordered to reconstruct Sanpouin ,Konndou and the garden. Hideyoshi also collected 700 cherry trees and planted there.
Hideyoshi asked Yoshihisa Shimazu to prepare 1300 women’s kimono. The procession of 1300 people were all women. Hideyoshi loved to see both cherry blossoms and beautiful women in kimono.
Yoshihisa Shimazu said “I’ll prepare 1300 expensive kimono.”
Hideyoshi told him “Those women will change their kimono three times on that day.”
Yoshihisa said “ It’s my pleasure.” even though he was worrying about how much cost to order thousands of kimono.
On Hanami day Hideyoshi arrived Sanpouin first. Then his wives arrived. He had 16 wives. Nene, Chacha, Matu no maru dono, San no maru dono ,Kaga dono and other wives arrived following their ranking.
Hideyoshi’s Hanami Party was gorgeous as he wanted to make his son, Hideyori happy.
Hideyoshi loved Hideyori very much. He was a doting father.
After enjoying performances Hideyoshi , Hideyori and wives visited 8 pavilions made by feudal lords. At 7 pavilions they found expensive food, sake, silk fabric and other special products. .
Hideyoshi thought the last one was the most gorgeous because the pavilion’s name was Kousou An which meant full of light. But it wasn’t .
The feudal lord of the pavilion served tea but the tea cup wasn’t good. It was a hand made cup.
Sweets weren’t good ,either. They were just rice cakes with sweet bean paste.
But Hideyoshi felt something comfortable while drinking tea seeing falling petals of cherry blossoms there. Hideyoshi remembered Sen no Rikyu who was the grand master of the tea ceremony. Rikyu was more than the tea master. He was often an advisor on other matters as well. Rikyu maintained his independence and their relation ship was occasionally stormy. When Rikyu refused Hideyoshi’s request to take Rikyu’s daughter as his mistress. Eventually Hideyoshi ordered Rikyu to commit suicide.
Hideyoshi understood Rikyu’s Wabicha influenced Zen while drinking tea at the humble pavilion.
Hideyoshi mumbled “I’d like to drink tea served by Rikyu.”
5 months after Flower viewing at Daigo temple Hideyoshi was passed away.
It was the last Hanami party to Hideyoshi.

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