Sakura (サクラ - Decoy)

The season of "sakura" (桜 - cherry blossom) is gradually leaving.

Cherry blossoms are beautiful, but the word "sakura" is sometimes used as a slang term with a bad meaning.

It means a person who slips into lurks in customers/audiences, and praises an item or makes the atmosphere of the venue.

In the Edo period, there were people who shout at a big scene of Kabuki (traditional Japanese drama) to boost the performance -- they were able to see the Kabuki performance without a fee in return for the role.

Such people were called "sakura" (cherry blossom), because the momentary boost evoked cherry trees that bloom only for a short period, and people could see cherry blossoms for free.

Later, "sakura" has come to be used to mean "confederate" and "decoy."

サクラ

桜の季節が過ぎ去ろうとしています。

桜は美しい木ですが、実は「サクラ」という言葉は悪い意味を持つ隠語として使われることもあります

その意味は、「客の中に紛れ込み、商品を褒めて購買意欲を誘ったり、公演が盛り上がるように誘導する者」です。

江戸時代、芝居小屋で歌舞伎を無料で見せて貰うかわりに、芝居の見せ場で掛け声をかけるなどして場を盛り上げる人がいました。

「桜の花見」も無料であること、そして「桜が咲いて散るように瞬間的に盛り上げること」をかけて、そのような人を「サクラ」と呼んだそうです。

このことから、「仕込み客」のことを「サクラ」と呼ぶようになりました。

• Sakura (サクラ - Decoy)
• Sakura (サクラ - Shill)

  I think this is a closer definition to your intended meaning. It's not a common word, but there's a page in wiktionary that translates it to サクラ https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/shill (a person paid to endorse a product favourably)

• The season of "sakura" (桜 - cherry blossom) is gradually leaving.
• The season of "sakura" (桜 - cherry blossom) is gradually coming to an end.

  Grammar in the original sentence is correct, but this phrase might be more commonly used.

• Cherry blossoms are beautiful, but the word "sakura" is sometimes used as a slang term with a bad meaning.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• It means a person who slips into lurks in customers/audiences, and praises an item or makes the atmosphere of the venue.
• It means a person who slips into lurks in customers/audiences, and outwardly praises an item or hypes up the atmosphere of the venue.

  to 'hype up' means to make the atmosphere exciting.

• In the Edo period, there were people who shout at a big scene of Kabuki (traditional Japanese drama) to boost the performance -- they were able to see the Kabuki performance without a fee in return for the role.
• In the Edo period, there were people who were hired to shout during a big scene in a Kabuki (traditional Japanese drama) to boost the performance -- they were able to see the Kabuki performance without a fee in return for the role.

  I think it's important to mention that the people who shouted probably made an agreement with the Kabuki staff first in order to get their rewards, which is why I used the word "hired."

• Later, "sakura" has come to be used to mean "confederate" and "decoy."
• Later, "sakura" has come to be used to mean "confederate" and "shill."

  I think the word "accomplice" is also similar.

Wow, I learned a lot today! I even learned a new English work while looking up the meaning of SAKURA so thank you for writing this interesting article.