Peach Orchard

“The Peach Orchard” relates in many ways to Shinto. First, the beautiful depiction of the peach trees in blossom was personified by the spirits of the peach trees. Their dancing and music signifying the simplicity and beauty of the peach trees while in bloom.  This relates to some of the general characteristics of a life lived in the remembrance of Kami.  First, to be grateful of the blessings of Kami. The peach trees are a blessing of Kami with their peaches they produce for enjoyment and also the beauty of them. Gratefulness does not mean cutting them down and disrupting them. It also goes against helping others and the world. When the little boys family cuts the orchard down he weeps along with the spirits of the peach trees. This shows that he was grateful for them, even if his family wasn’t.

Second, the ancient Japanese did not separate matter and spirit. This is portrayed throughout the whole dream. Matters being the trees, the spirits of the trees seek out the little boy to punish him for what his family did to the orchard. This dream shows that the trees spirits and the trees are one being, and even if the trees themselves may be gone or destroyed the spirits live on.

Finally the movie shows that the little boy sees the beauty and the power that is in nature through his sorrow for the peach trees being destroyed by his family. He weeps because he knows that you cannot buy a whole orchard full of blooming peach trees, and the simple peaches themselves can be bought. But the beauty is something extraordinary and there for is recognizing Kami. The spirits of the peach trees then see the little boy as worthy of nature and seeing the blooming trees one more time.