The time of Hanami coming!

What is Hanami?

The days when cherry blossoms bloom are the most brilliant term in a year in Japan.
There is a joyful event held in many places like parks, gardens or shrines in these days.

It is the Hanami party.
Hanami, which means cherry blossom viewing, is a traditional custom which makes Japanese people excited.
It is like excursions or picnics for enjoying flowers, particularly cherry blossoms and one of the most popular events in spring.

To begin with, the Japanese have a special emotion when we think of cherry blossoms.
It is because the term of cherry blossom’s full bloom is the end of March or the beginning of April, which coincided with the end or beginning of fiscal year and academic year.
So we associate this term with farewell to our class mates or coworkers and starting new lives.
These feelings are little bit complex like the ones mixed with joy and sadness.

Cherry blossom blooming put an strong impact on Japanese emotions.
One of the reasons is the term of cherry blossoms blooming is so short as only a week.
The view is so beautiful and the fluttering petal sometimes make us emotional.
We find that this beauty is not eternal and frail, however we cannot keep cherry blossoms bloom the whole year.
So, we have to get out and enjoy the bloom while it is still there.

How Japanese Enjoy the Hanami?

It is a great pleasure to meet with intimate friends at Hanami.
Talking to friends while drinking beer or other alcoholic drink and eating snack is a great fun for many people.
It is generous to drink alcohol outdoor in public places in Japan while drinking in public places are prohibited inmany foreign countries.
So we lay picnic sheets under cherry blossoms trees, where we sit down with friends or family and enjoy the beautiful view and talking, drinking and eating snacks we bring.

There are so many people who try to occupy the better spaces to enjoy Hanami under cherry blossoms trees in the popular Hanami sites like Ueno park in Tokyo.
It is the roll of new employees to save a good space earlier than others with laying picnic sheets in day time and prepare snacks and drink for the Hanami party at night time. (They are allowed to leave the work before the end of their work time especially in this occasion.)

Yozakura (Night time flower viewing)

In many popular Hanami sites, cherry blossoms are light up by lantern and looks breathtakingly beautiful.
So I recommend you to go to Hanami at night.
But it is still cold at night in this season, It is better to take your coat to Yozakura viewing.

The cherry blossoms in east Japan area is about to bloom fully before long.
So it is the best time to enjoy the best Hanami time in Japan.