Japans Cuteness

It is springtime in Japan and it is truly a wonderful time, the air is full of life and the sakura threes are in full bloom. The parks are full with people doing the popular Hanami (flower viewing) and relaxing with food and drinks under the trees. And everybody is taking part, the young, the teenagers, the adults and the seniors. It really feels like an ageless activity and the Japanese people also seems very proud of their sakura and the act of Hanami. My thought is though, might the sakura have something to do with the cuteness trend that is a big part of Japan today?

Since the activity is widespread and the flowers are admired by probably most Japanese it might be possible that the amongst other thing, the color of pink might have been popularized in a way that it would not have been without the sakura. And since the sakura are admired by all, adapting part of the sakura feeling of lightness, small petals and soft feeling has been going on for a long time. The sakura have been popular motive in art, on bento boxes or on other items that are usually decorated here in Japan. It would it the be to strange to say that perhaps this has had an affect on the cuteness trend, it might not have created it. But it would have opened up the mind of the Japanese people to let this ideas get ground and stick easier that otherwise. But off course, this is only speculations and I do not have anything to back up this idea though it might be an interesting one.