Rakugo and Sake: "Hanamizake"

Hello.

This is Akari, a nombee (who aspires to be a lady).

It's getting warmer, isn't it?

It seems the cherry blossoms were announced to have bloomed in Fukuoka on March 17.

Watching the weather forecast and the cherry blossom forecast, I'm all fidgety and excited ♪

We're discussing when to go cherry-blossom viewing.

Cherry-blossom viewing became a Japanese pastime starting in the Edo period, apparently.

The eighth shogun, Yoshimune Tokugawa, planted and maintained cherry trees and held a casual, no-holds-barred banquet himself to host the viewing!

It's said that the cherry-blossom viewing culture spread after this.

They say "dumplings over flowers"...

but for the drinker who prefers sake over flowers...

it's not just me—such people appear in the Edo period too,

so I'd like to introduce the rakugo story "Hanamizake."

Two close sworn brothers want to go cherry-blossom viewing, but both are flat broke. (That is, they have no money.)

The older brother proposes making money by selling a teacup of sake for five sen while viewing the blossoms.

They borrow three sho of sake, a sake barrel, and five sen from the sake shop, shoulder the barrel, and head to Mukojima, a famous cherry-blossom spot.

The younger brother, carrying the back of the pole, has eaten nothing since morning, and with the lovely aroma of sake wafting over, he can't stand it any longer.

He can't hold back...

The older brother says, "Then why not buy some with the five sen we just borrowed from the sake shop and drink it?"

Quite right, so the younger brother hands the five sen to the older brother, pours himself a teacup, and drinks it all down deliciously.

Watching this, the older brother also wants a drink, and has a cup with the five sen he just received.

Once it gets to this point, the drinker's charming trait is that he "can't stop" and "can't be stopped" (laughs).

The original five sen, the three sho of sake, the barrel, and the teacup are all borrowed!!

What will become of them?

For the rest, listen to "Hanamizake" by Ichinosuke Shunputei

on YouTube, please.

There are famous cherry-blossom spots all across the country.

Even if the place differs, let's look at the beautiful blossoms and feel happy.

If you avoid the crowds and check the weather forecast,

you might find that the cherry blossoms in your own neighborhood are the most beautiful after all!

Which sake shall we bring along to admire the flowers this year??

Well then, see you!

Today too, peacefully, a go or two (一合)!