Cherry Blossoms and Sweet Sentimentalism: The Sakura Song Boom in the 2000s and its image of Japaneseness

In the 2000s, Japan experienced a major trend in pop music known as the ‘Sakura Song Boom,’ featuring songs associated with cherry blossoms (sakura). Even 20 years later, these songs remain popular. This essay examines four songs from this boom and the cultural phenomenon itself, analysing two commercial web articles that emphasise the image of cherry blossoms, strongly linked to Japan and its people. The essay explores the supposed Japaneseness and nation-alism in these articles. By examining song lyrics, advertising, and circulation, this study investi-gates whether a collective image of cherry blossoms exists in these songs and their social function. The essay also explores why cherry blossoms became popular in the 2000s. Cherry blossoms sym-bolise changes and transitions in contemporary Japanese society due to their association with spring events, such as the start of the fiscal year, school terms, and graduation ceremonies. The songs depict protagonists’ sentimental emotions triggered by these changes. The essay reveals how the songs and the boom conveyed common performances of sentimental emotions and col-lective identities, reinforcing Japaneseness and nationalism featured in the articles.