일본의 「하나미」란 다름 아닌 벚꽃의 만개를 동기로 삼아 벌이는 봄철 야유회인 것이다. 이러한 하나미에 대해 일본의 저명한 문화연구가인 시라하타요자부로(白幡洋三郞)는 일본에만 있는 독특한 놀이라고 했다. 그가 말하는 하나미란 첫째가 벚나무의 군락지가 있어야 하고, 둘째가 음식이 있어야 하며, 셋째가 그것을 즐기려는 사람들의 군집(群集)이 있어야 비로소 하나미라 했다. 이 세 가지 조건 중 어느 하나가 모자라면 그것은 「하나미」가 아니라는 것이다. 그러나 그러한 놀이는 한국에도 있었다. 그것은 다름 아닌 화전놀이이었다. 그것에는 진달래군락이 있고, 음식이 있고, 그것을 즐기는 사람들의 그룹이 있다. 이처럼 큰 틀에서 본다면 하나미와 화전놀이는 큰 차이가 없다. 즉, 이 둘은 모두 상춘의 민속이라는 점에 있어서 서로 공통된 특질을 가지고 있었던 것이다. 그러나 세부적으로 들여다 보면 일본의 하나미와 한국의 화전놀이에는 차이가 전혀 없는 것은 아니다. 유교문화와 천렵문화가 강한 한국에서는 남녀, 연령, 신분의 유별이 있는 놀이였다면, 일본은 비유교사회와 도시락문화가 빚어낸 놀이라는 내용적인 차이가 있고, 또 자연을 내부로 끌어들여 감상하는 문화와 자연 속으로 들어가 감상하는 방법상의 차이도 있으며, 또 일본이 벚꽃중심의 하나미를 한다면, 한국은 진달래 중심으로 화전놀이를 한다는 것에서도 차이를 보인다. 그러나 이러한 것들은 양국민의 역사와 자연관에서 빚어진 결과이지 결코 봄을 즐기려는 상춘의 심리에서 본다면 크나큰 차이라고 할 수 없다. 이러한 점에서 보았을 때 시라하타가 내린 하나미에 대한 정의는 다시 내려져야 하며, 그것이 일본만이 가지는 독특한 상춘민속이 될 수 없다. 다시 말하여 그의 하나미론은 나무와 뿌리를 보지 않고 가지에서 피어난 꽃만 보고 문화를 논하는 것과 마찬가지이었던 것이다. 이 점을 일깨워주는 것이 바로 한국의 화전놀이이다.

「Hanami (花見)」 is a blossom viewing picnic to enjoy the cherry blossoms in Spring in Japan. Sirahata Yojaburo (白幡洋三郞), a famous cultural researcher, insisted that Hanami was a unique recreational activity only enjoyed in Japan. He suggested Hanami should include the following elements: (1) there should be a colony of cherry tree, (2) there should be food, and (3) there should be a crowd of people who are willing to enjoy it. Without any of these elements, it cannot be called as Hanami, he insisted. However, this kind of recreational activity existed in Korea as well. It was called Hwajeonnori. It also included a colony of azaleas, food and a group of people who enjoyed it. According to this point of view, there is no significant difference between Hanami and Hwajeononri. In other words, these two folk plays have the same characteristics enjoyed by people in Spring season. If specifically investigated, however, there exists some difference between Hanami in Japan and Hwajeonnori in Korea. In Korea where Confucianism and fishing in a river were buoyant, Hwajeonnori was an activity solely enjoyed by women. On the other hand, non-Confucian culture and an alfresco lunch culture created Hanami in Japan. Its appreciation method was also different, which the one drew the nature into their daily life while the other jumped into the nature to enjoy. In addition, Japanese enjoyed cherry blossoms while Korean enjoyed azaleas. These differences resulted from their view of history and nature, so it should not be stressed as a big difference under the psychology of appreciating Spring season. Against this backdrop, it is necessary to redefine the definition of the word 「Hanami」, and it should not be considered as a unique recreational activity only enjoyed in Japan. In other words, the meaning of Hanami defined by Sirahata Yojaburo was only for defining a culture on the basis of blossoms without viewing the tree and its roots. It can easily bring to their attention if Hwajeonnori is considered.

「Hanami (花見)」 is a blossom viewing picnic to enjoy the cherry blossoms in Spring in Japan. Sirahata Yojaburo (白幡洋三郞), a famous cultural researcher, insisted that Hanami was a unique recreational activity only enjoyed in Japan. He suggested Hanami should include the following elements: (1) there should be a colony of cherry tree, (2) there should be food, and (3) there should be a crowd of people who are willing to enjoy it. Without any of these elements, it cannot be called as Hanami, he insisted. However, this kind of recreational activity existed in Korea as well. It was called Hwajeonnori. It also included a colony of azaleas, food and a group of people who enjoyed it. According to this point of view, there is no significant difference between Hanami and Hwajeononri. In other words, these two folk plays have the same characteristics enjoyed by people in Spring season. If specifically investigated, however, there exists some difference between Hanami in Japan and Hwajeonnori in Korea. In Korea where Confucianism and fishing in a river were buoyant, Hwajeonnori was an activity solely enjoyed by women. On the other hand, non-Confucian culture and an alfresco lunch culture created Hanami in Japan. Its appreciation method was also different, which the one drew the nature into their daily life while the other jumped into the nature to enjoy. In addition, Japanese enjoyed cherry blossoms while Korean enjoyed azaleas. These differences resulted from their view of history and nature, so it should not be stressed as a big difference under the psychology of appreciating Spring season. Against this backdrop, it is necessary to redefine the definition of the word 「Hanami」, and it should not be considered as a unique recreational activity only enjoyed in Japan. In other words, the meaning of Hanami defined by Sirahata Yojaburo was only for defining a culture on the basis of blossoms without viewing the tree and its roots. It can easily bring to their attention if Hwajeonnori is considered.

Hanami, Hwajeonnori, Cherry tree, Azaleas, Recreational activity