Akikusa Sakura　秋草桜

— Where Flowers Mark the Passage of Time —

April 8, 2026

This Japanese folding fan captures the quiet richness of Japan’s changing seasons.
Without a fixed front or back, it reveals two seasonal expressions—each to be appreciated in its own way.

On one side, delicate autumn flowers are depicted; on the other, cherry blossoms in full bloom.

The autumn flowers—kikyo (bellflower), ominaeshi (golden lace), and susuki (Japanese pampas grass)—belong to Aki no Nanakusa, the “Seven Flowers of Autumn.” Long celebrated in Japan, they appear in the Manyoshu, the oldest surviving anthology of Japanese poetry, compiled in the 8th century.

The gold-leaf background evokes the fading light of an autumn sunset, while drifting clouds suggest a veil of mist. In classical poetry, such mist is a seasonal word (kigo), quietly carrying the atmosphere of autumn.

The blossoms depicted are yamazakura, a wild cherry tree native to Japan. Its flowers and leaves emerge together, the young leaves tinged with a soft red. For centuries, it has been cherished, its presence lingering in poetry and memory.

Each tree differs—the moment it blooms, the tones of its petals and leaves, the shape it takes. Beneath such trees, people once gathered for hanami (flower viewing).

The silver background, reminiscent of a clouded sky or a trace of snow, lends the blossoms a fleeting presence.

In spring, cherry blossoms often unfold beneath unsettled skies. This soft overcast is known as hanagumori (“flower haze”), said to nourish the blossoms and gently prolong their bloom. On rare occasions, snow falls among them—a scene called sakura-gakushi (“cherry blossom veil”).

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Akikusa Sakura
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