How to Read “花の下より鼻の下”
Hana no shita yori hana no shita
Meaning of “花の下より鼻の下”
“Under flowers rather than under nose” means that food necessary for actual living is more important than refined or aesthetic pleasures.
While spending elegant time under beautiful cherry blossoms is wonderful, it expresses that what goes under the nose—that is, food that enters the mouth—is more important for humans. This doesn’t deny beautiful things at all, but rather shows that the basic human desire for food is more fundamental and urgent than aesthetic desires.
This proverb is used when wanting to express the gap between ideals and reality, or when showing a way of thinking that emphasizes practicality. For example, it’s used to express the realistic value that one can afford to enjoy beautiful scenery only after basic life is stabilized first. Even today, while enjoying art and entertainment is important, this expression is sometimes used when teaching the importance of first building a solid foundation for life.
Origin and Etymology
Regarding the origin of “Under flowers rather than under nose,” clear documentary evidence is actually difficult to find at present. However, looking at the structure of this proverb, it’s considered likely to have emerged from common people’s culture during the Edo period.
“Under flowers” refers to spending time under beautiful flowers such as cherry blossom viewing, which has been an elegant pleasure beloved by Japanese people since ancient times. On the other hand, “under nose” seems to have been used as a euphemistic expression meaning food. It meant interest in food that goes under the nose—that is, into the mouth.
The background to this proverb’s establishment is presumed to lie in the realistic values of common people during the Edo period. For ordinary commoners of that time, securing daily meals was far more important than the refinement of admiring beautiful flowers. Since famines occurred frequently in that era, it was natural that interest in food directly connected to survival took top priority.
The sound of the words also has a memorable structure with the repetition of “hana no shita,” making it easy to spread by word of mouth among common people. Such practical and memorable characteristics likely became factors in its establishment as a proverb.
Usage Examples
- Cherry blossom viewing is nice, but “under flowers rather than under nose”—first we need to worry about the lunch box
- Art appreciation is important, but “under flowers rather than under nose”—earning money for today’s dinner comes first
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the interpretation of “Under flowers rather than under nose” has become more multilayered. In modern Japan, which has achieved material prosperity, the literal urgency of this proverb—that “securing food is the top priority”—has diminished.
However, new contextual interpretations have emerged. It’s sometimes used to mean that learning actual life skills is more important than being absorbed in posting beautiful photos on social media. It’s also used in the context that one should prioritize realistic life planning over pursuing an ideal lifestyle.
On the other hand, the value that “aesthetic experience and practicality are not opposing forces” has also grown stronger in modern times. This is the way of thinking that admiring flowers enriches the heart, which ultimately improves quality of life. For this reason, an increasing number of people view this proverb as representing old-fashioned values.
What’s interesting is that due to the influence of the gourmet boom, interest in “under nose”—that is, food—has become a cultural pleasure beyond mere survival desire. In modern times, the “dumplings over flowers” type of values no longer necessarily means utilitarianism.
With technological advancement, situations where one can enjoy beautiful things while simultaneously gaining practical value have increased. It could be said that the either-or structure shown by this proverb itself no longer fits modern times.
When AI Hears This
Cherry blossom viewing in the Edo period was completely different from today’s pure nature appreciation—it was a social event. Particularly around the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters, courtesans would dress in beautiful kimono and participate in hanami, serving as a “showcase” to entertain male customers.
Historical records of cherry blossom viewing reveal that men’s attention was focused more on beautiful women than on the sakura themselves. “Under the nose rather than under the flowers” perfectly captures the sharp observational skills of common people who recognized this phenomenon with irony. While men pretended to be “cultured connoisseurs of elegance,” they were actually absorbed in “beauty watching”—a sight that was probably commonplace on Edo’s street corners.
What’s fascinating is that this proverb isn’t mere criticism, but rather contains warm humor about “human weakness.” Edo commoners saw through the human instincts lurking behind highbrow cultural activities, yet rather than condemning them outright, they wrapped their observations in humor.
This saying simultaneously reflects both the tolerance of Edo society—where public cultural pretenses and private human desires coexisted—and the wisdom of ordinary people who observed such society with clear eyes. It’s a masterpiece that crystallizes the realistic yet affectionate human observation of people who knew exactly where men’s gazes would wander during hanami, this “officially sanctioned entertainment.”
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches us today is the importance of balancing ideals and reality. The feeling of longing for beautiful and sublime things is a wonderful human emotion, but at the same time, we need to look firmly at the reality at our feet.
In modern society, showing ideal lives to each other on social media has become routine, but it’s precisely at such times that the wisdom of this proverb can be applied. Rather than pursuing only superficial beauty, building a solid foundation for one’s life will lead to happiness in the long term.
This proverb also teaches us the importance of considering priorities. Since we cannot obtain everything simultaneously, we need the judgment to discern what is most important for us right now. This doesn’t mean giving up on dreams, but rather taking realistic steps to approach our goals.
You too should sometimes stop and think about whether what you’re pursuing is truly what you need right now. The leisure to enjoy the beauty of flowers might emerge only when you have a solid foundation.
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