How to Read “The moon is cherished as it sets and cherry blossoms are celebrated as they scatter”
Tsuki wa oshimarete iri sakura wa chiru wo medetashi to su
Meaning of “The moon is cherished as it sets and cherry blossoms are celebrated as they scatter”
This proverb expresses the Japanese aesthetic sense of treasuring things as they depart and finding beauty in things as they fade away.
Just as people cherish the moment when the moon sets and find beauty in falling cherry blossoms, this saying reflects the idea that true beauty and value lie not in things that last forever, but in the very moment when they approach their end.
People use this expression when talking about farewells, when something comes to an end, or when discussing art and ways of living.
It conveys a uniquely Japanese aesthetic based on the concept of impermanence. This view values the present moment precisely because it will eventually end, rather than wishing for perfection to last forever.
Even today, when people feel special emotions at an athlete’s final game or a long-established shop’s last day, they’re experiencing exactly what this proverb describes.
Origin and Etymology
The exact source of this proverb has several theories. However, people were already using it during the Edo period as an expression of classical Japanese aesthetics.
The phrase “the moon is cherished as it sets” refers to the full moon sinking into the western sky.
After reaching fullness, the moon eventually disappears behind the mountain ridge. People feel reluctant to see it go.
Meanwhile, “cherry blossoms are celebrated as they scatter” expresses the feeling that the moment when petals fall from full bloom is actually the most beautiful.
By placing these two natural phenomena side by side, a distinctly Japanese aesthetic emerges.
In Western culture, people tend to find beauty in completed states and things that never change. In Japan, however, a culture developed that finds deep beauty in fleeting moments and vanishing instants.
This sensibility connects deeply with the Heian period concept of “mono no aware” (the pathos of things) and the sense of impermanence that developed after the Kamakura period.
Through the contrast of the moon departing from its perfect state and cherry blossoms scattering from full bloom, this saying captures the “aesthetics of parting” and “aesthetics of endings” that Japanese people have treasured.
Interesting Facts
The combination of moon and cherry blossoms represents the two most important motifs in discussing Japanese aesthetics.
Interestingly, the moon is expressed passively as “cherished as it sets,” while cherry blossoms are expressed actively as “celebrated as they scatter.”
This difference reveals the distinct quality of beauty in each. The moon is an object that viewers cherish, while cherry blossoms are seen as completing their beauty through the act of scattering.
In Noh theater, a traditional Japanese performing art, the concept of “beauty in the moment of departure” is extremely important.
The movement when exiting the stage is called “hiki,” and the beauty of this departure is considered the moment when a performer’s true worth is tested.
The aesthetic sense expressed in this proverb is deeply rooted throughout Japanese arts.
Usage Examples
- Her retirement performance was wonderful. “The moon is cherished as it sets and cherry blossoms are celebrated as they scatter” describes it perfectly.
- I’m sad that this long-running shop is closing, but I’ll remember the saying “The moon is cherished as it sets and cherry blossoms are celebrated as they scatter” and treasure the beauty of this ending in my heart.
Universal Wisdom
The universal wisdom this proverb offers answers a fundamental question everyone faces: how should humans confront “endings” and “farewells”?
We humans are creatures who seek eternity. We wish our relationships with loved ones would last forever. We pray that happy times will never end.
But in reality, everything comes to an end. Facing this unavoidable fact, humanity has chosen two paths.
One is to fear endings, grieve them, and resist them. The other is to accept that things are beautiful precisely because they end.
This proverb shows us the second path. Because the moon sets, its final brilliance stays in our hearts. Because cherry blossoms scatter, their moment of full bloom moves us deeply.
Perhaps things that last forever can’t actually create deep emotion. Because things are limited, people can cherish this very moment and feel their hearts stirred by its beauty.
This wisdom has the power to ease the pain of loss. The sadness of losing something precious doesn’t disappear.
But if we can find beauty even in that moment of ending, we can keep moving forward. Rather than cursing the end, we can be grateful that it was beautiful because it ended.
This shift in perspective is the wisdom that helps us overcome life’s suffering.
When AI Hears This
All phenomena in the universe are governed by a one-way flow from order to disorder. This is the law of entropy increase.
For example, ice melts into water, then evaporates and disperses into the air. Organized states inevitably break down.
What’s interesting is that “the amount of entropy increase” in this physical law correlates surprisingly well with the aesthetic value humans perceive.
The moment the full moon begins to wane, the moment cherry blossom petals leave their branches and dance through the air.
Physically, these are transition processes from organized low-entropy states to disordered high-entropy states. In other words, they’re the collapse of order itself.
Yet Japanese people have found the highest beauty in precisely this process of collapse. Their sensibility is captivated more by falling cherry blossoms than by perfectly blooming ones.
This isn’t merely cultural preference. It relates to how the human brain responds strongly to the speed of change.
When entropy increases rapidly—when state changes are most intense—our perceptual systems activate to their maximum capacity.
Scattering cherry blossoms send hundreds of times more information to the brain than the static state of full bloom.
Japanese aesthetics can be seen as a cognitive strategy for capturing the momentary brilliance of irreversible change, which is a fundamental law of the universe.
Rather than seeking eternity or resisting collapse, it celebrates the beauty of disintegration. This is intuitive understanding of physical laws itself.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches us living in modern times is not to fear life’s endings and farewells too much.
Are you afraid of losing something right now? Parting with someone precious, the end of youth, a career transition.
You might find yourself frozen with anxiety or sadness when facing such turning points.
But think about it. If your life continued forever, how much value would today have?
This moment shines precisely because there’s an ending. Graduation ceremonies are moving because student days are ending. Final games stay in our hearts because they’ll never come again.
Modern society tends to value “not ending things.” Anti-aging, perpetual growth, lifetime employment.
However, this proverb shows a different set of values. The importance of ending beautifully, scattering gracefully, and welcoming the next season.
Your life might have a chapter that should end soon. That’s not failure—it’s the beginning of a new kind of beauty.
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