hanami
hanami - hanami party - the japanese custom of enjoying cherry blossoms along with the arrival of spring. see many hanami pictures .
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hmmm air - hanami sounds more like doing hanami outside but without any sakura blossoming and lets be honest aren' t most people going to hanami for just the drinks anyway .
kirin even has a dedicated air - hanami page on amazon japan where you can get your hanami drinks and goods at the click of a button .
these components are designed to be used independently or together in a hanami application .
toyotomi hideyoshi at one of his final hanami events in kyōto before his death .
this is still a popular hanami spot located a short distance from ōji station .
sakura
or cherry blossoms in kyoto during hanami season in the spring .
* hanami - zushi set with fukutsui / available from march 20 through early april .
go and get some stuff at the nearest convenience store to hanami spot, then start hanami in available space. there should be small space for the number of people .
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hanami at night is called yozakura, when the trees are illuminated. photo by yamaguchi kazunori
hanami season at maruyama park in kyoto, which features stalls and cherry blossoms in the spring .
having a hanami party among japanese may become an experience you will never forget. you will find below the must - have items to fully enjoy hanami party. most of them can be purchased at 100 yen shops .
41 union ave cresskill, nj 07626 201. 567. 8508 © hanami restaurant designed and developed by leojavier .
hanami brings out the crowds. it’s like being on a yamanote train but times 1000. if you’re a person who likes to sit in quiet contemplation and avoid large groups of people, then hanami might not be for you .
as the japanese celebrate hanami - cherry blossom viewing, we also celebrate in similar ways in washington d. c .
the site also provides some majestic photos of scenes including sakura trees in bloom for your air - hanami viewing pleasure .
hanami is a full - stack ruby web framework. it' s made up of smaller, single - purpose libraries .
the article, while much to the point, i think is talking solely about large urban park hanami free for alls .
now, seeing the gorgeous cherry flowers is always a pleasure each year, but considering that hanami is also a huge excuse for people across japan to party, buy lots of alcohol, and get drunk, it’s not surprising that beer companies like kirin would be enthusiastic about promoting air - hanami. in fact, kirin has actually put up a special website dedicated to air - hanami, describing the concept and suggesting drinks and various items for people who want to enjoy air - hanami .
if you want to enjoy food at a hanami party, hanami bento is recommended. the bento for hanami looks pretty as the colorful ingredients like carrot is cut in the shape of a cherry blossom petal. and as vegetables and fishes in season are used, you will be able to enjoy the taste of spring in japan. the basement food floor of department store is a good place to get a hanami bento. you will find all sorts of food from japanese to western and many shops have a few types of hanami bento. as there are so many choices, you will have a trouble choosing one .
we’re now at the peak of hanami, flower - viewing season here in tokyo. but this year apparently some people are trying to spread the idea of “air - hanami“, which essentially is flower viewing without actually going outside and seeing real flowers .
if you have any questions about hanami, put them on our facebook page. we answer them as far as we can .
in a business culture that makes of one’s company a second family (if not a first), many hanami outings are office - centered. a few years ago the weekly magazine shukan post described a hanami gathering of trading company co - workers, male and female .
when there are as many people as in the photo, then it is definitely not fun. i think i have outgrown hanami parties .
hanami is basically having a picnic meal under cherry blossom trees. barbecue is one of good ways of hanami, but fire ban is in force in some parks. confirmation of rules is essential if you make a plan to do it. there may be no space at parks in the season, so “bashotori (keeping your space for hanami in advance” is suggested. * bashotori is also prohibited in some parks .
with hanami comes the consumption of copious amounts of food and liquids that really don’t like to hang around in your body for too long. at hanami, the queues become a different beast. you might only have four or five toilets serving a crowd of a few hundred .
and it’s not only the beer companies, but the japanese media seems to be trying to promote this new concept of air - hanami. one of the major national tv stations in japan recently aired a segment on air - hanami as a growing phenomenon. there are also plenty of photos and videos of blooming sakura flowers being shared on twitter and other social media as material that can be used for air - hanami .
as horticulture and the art of garden construction incorporated new scientific discoveries, public parks and botanical gardens soon learned that they could extend the hanami season by planting two to three varieties in the same park. why only have two weeks of hanami when you can have three or four ?
hanami (花見, hanami lit .
flower viewing
) is the japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers ,
flower
in this case almost always meaning cherry blossoms (桜 or 櫻, sakura), or ume blossoms (梅, ume). from late march to early may, sakura bloom all over japan. the blossom forecast (桜前線, sakurazensen, lit. cherry blossom front) is announced each year by the weather bureau, and is watched carefully by those planning hanami as the blossoms only last a week or two. in modern - day japan, hanami mostly consists of having an outdoor party (hanami party) beneath the sakura during daytime or at night. hanami at night is called yozakura (lit .
night sakura
). in many places such as ueno park temporary paper lanterns are hung for the purpose of yozakura .
hanami today is not so different to hanami thousands of years ago. japanese people continue the tradition by gathering in great numbers wherever the flowering sakura trees are found. parks are filled with thousands of people holding feasts under the blooming trees, sometimes these parties will go from early in the morning to late at night. in more than half of japan sakura blossoming days come at the same time that school and work begins after vacation. start of semester welcoming parties are often opened or based around hanami. parks are flocked with people celebrating hanami with friends, family and co - workers for many hours or even day’s before hanami has started. in major cities like tokyo it was very common to have celebrations under the sakura at night. hanami night is called ‘yosakura’ (夜桜) meaning night sakura. in places such a ueno park, temporary paper lanterns are hung to celebrate yosakura .
i live in the country and hanami is fantastic. it is one of my favourite times of year. basically in the countryside there a lot fewer company parties and mostly parties involving family and friends, so it is usually very relaxed and fun. this is the kind of hanami i like .
ladies of the shōgun’s harem enjoying hanami on the expansive grounds of edo castle, once the largest castle in the world – a city within a city .
i’m glad you asked. hanami is a chance for you to go outside and revel in the few beloved weeks of spring that japan has to offer before the rainy season hits. hanami started out as a personnel pamper party for the emperor and his chums but quickly spread to the rest of the country .
i’m glad you asked. hanami is a chance for you to go outside and revel in the few beloved weeks of spring that japan has to offer before the rainy season hits. hanami started out as a personnel pamper party for the emperor and his chums but quickly spread to the rest of the country .
in order to simulate installed gems on developers' computers, the build installs all the gems locally in vendor / cache, including hanami code from lib / .
spread picnic blankets the space you want to do hanami. (don’t put too big blanket! there may be many people. go for the happy medium .
basically, more than one person get together for hanami. if you do it by yourself, walk under cherry blossom trees with a drink in your hand .
with the beginning of spring in japan comes hanami (花見) or ‘flower viewing. ’ the most famous occasions of hanami take place around the spring bloom of cherry blossom – or, as i like to call it, ‘the pink blizzard of happy fun times! ’ i’m waiting for the name to really catch on .
[ … ] [ xxxii ] star, marky (2017, april 4). the history of hanami. japan this! retrieved from: urltoken [ … ]
cherry blossoms are one of the most iconic natural beauties of japan. throughout the country, their brief but gorgeous blooming period is celebrated in an event called hanami, essentially a picnic among the blossoms with friends or loved ones. to help you plan the perfect hanami, we present 10 must - see spots throughout the country .
with the beginning of spring in japan comes
hanami
( 花見) or
flower viewing .
the most famous occasions of hanami take place around the spring bloom of cherry blossom – or, as i like to call it ,
the pink blizzard of happy fun times !
i’m waiting for the name to really catch on .
“hanami (cherry blossom viewing) ” in japan often involves a picnic party to enjoy cherry blossoms as well as food and drinks. people have a hanami party with friends, family or colleagues under the cherry tree and have fun. it seems the dazzling cherry blossoms in full bloom make many people get higher than usual. but there are manners and a certain way to have a hanami party. and a good preparation may help you to enjoy the party even more. why not enjoy spring in the japanese way .
, enjoying hanami – placing themselves on par with the imperial court. hideyoshi encouraged the warriors to engage in other arts such as poetry, tea ceremony, and flower arrangement .
hanami can be just a stroll in the park, but it traditionally also involves a picnic party under the blooming trees. hanami parties have been held in japan for many centuries, and today are held in public and private gardens and parks across the country. famous cherry blossom spots can get very crowded, and the best picnic spots are fought after .
i have lovely memories from when i was young, doing hanami with my parents, brother, and sister. my mom packed a special lunch box, hanami bento, full of our favorite foods. my father was in charge of securing a good place for us at the famous park by placing a blanket under the cherry trees in the early morning .
for many japanese, the blooming of the cherry blossom trees symbolizes human life, transience and nobleness. the japanese love to celebrate and cherish the cherry blossoms trees during the limited flowering period and many people hold ‘flower watching’ parties known as hanami. you simply cannot travel to japan in spring without appreciating the beauty of the sakura and experiencing a hanami party for yourself !
due to hanami often being at the start of the new working and school year, companies will often hold hanami parties as a “welcome” party too. however, if you’re a new worker, or just the unlucky draw in your friendship group, this can be a very depressing time as you’ll be the one who has to secure a good spot for the party .
during this season in japan, people like to have cherry blossom parties with colleagues, friends, and family. a cherry blossom makes people merry. they enjoy eating, drinking, and barbecuing underneath the cherry blossoms. we call this custom hanami. hanami literally means “watching blossoms, ” and the tradition can be traced back at least a thousand years. we bring cooked meals, alcohol, snacks, and sweets, like a potluck party. schools and offices hold welcome parties during hanami, a chance for people to bond and meet new friends .
in any case, i like to walk around and look at the cherry blossoms, or have a small party in someone' s yard, but i can definitely live without hanami .
i go to a 100 yen shop, buy a fake branch of sakura and go drinking at an izakaya with my students and call it a
hanami party
every year ...
if we take the word literally, hanami just means “looking at flowers. ” it’s a japanese word that falls into a broad category of “looking at things” words – two other famous examples might be
appreciation of nature aside, hanami is literally a festival where everyone, from salarymen to tourists, rubs shoulders with the sole purpose of having a good time. it’s an experience so uniquely japanese .
honestly, the answer here is everywhere. that being said, here is a sampling of some of the places i have personally visited through the years to get my cherry blossom viewing or “hanami” fill :
okay, so air - hanami may not really take hold in japan as a yearly spring - time activity, but as we’ve mentioned already, it does have its advantages. what do you think — does virtual flower - viewing seem like a viable idea at all for people who can’t actually go and see the sakura flowers in person? or should those staying indoors stick to just eating delicious hanami cakes instead ?
so what’s the deal with flower - viewing without the flowers? well, there are actually some very real advantages to an indoor virtual hanami. even though the sakura flowers may be in bloom, it’s still quite chilly outdoors this time of year, especially during the night, so unless you’re lucky enough to have exceptionally warm weather, spending several hours outside for a hanami session after work could get cold and uncomfortable .
i have to ride my bike along a 1 kilometer tree lined lane every day to the train station. i get my hanami in the morning and evening. very lovely time of year and finishes too soon .
this was one of the preeminent hanami spots in the edo period, but sadly shōgunate destroyed the area to build defensive islands to protect edo from the threat of a sea based invasion by western powers in the 1850’s .
shunkōsai hokushū (fl. 1810–1832). yakusha no hanami (actors viewing cherry blossoms), ca. 1819. color woodblock print. prints and photographs division, library of congress (029. 00. 00 )
beyond this, you’ll also be treated to a host of different events, parties and separate festivals going on at the same time. you’ll always leave a hanami festival with countless memories of what you did and saw .
even at night, viewing spots are crowded with people enjoying the blossoms in a beautiful, romantic atmosphere. couples go at night to enjoy the special mood created by cherry blossoms. hanami at night is called yozakura .
so, edo’s big 5 hanami spots were goten’yama, ueno, the banks of the sumida river, asukayama, and koganei. what are your favorite spots in modern tōkyō? and do you know any cool secret spots ?
hanami is a great experience to let the general atmosphere, and any liquid confidence, fuel your japanese ability – you’ll rapidly find your group mixing with those around you; with food, drinks and good times being shared .
the idea is that you can enjoy pictures or videos of beautifully blooming sakura trees (or even artificial sakura branches) in the comfort of your home or a restaurant to have a sort of virtual or “air - hanami” experience .
in reality however, a huge majority of the people on the japanese internet seem to think that air - hanami is a ridiculous idea, especially based on the comments that appeared after the tv segment on air - hanami was aired, many of which expressed thoughts like: “what a stupid idea. not elegant at al! ” or “aaaargh… we can’t turn this into a fad! we’ll have idiots breaking off branches from sakura trees to do this. ”
having a picnic and drinking sake while looking at cherry blossoms is a tradition that goes back to the heian period. until recently, you could usually only carry a bottle or two with you, so the parties were shorter. since the 70’s and 80’s, there have been convenience stores on every corner in major cities. this has made it possible for hanami parties to run from 6 am to 11 pm because you can just refuel at 7 - 11 whenever you run out of booze. furthermore, hanami goers in parks these days can even order delivery pizza, sushi, or whatever they need. in the age of instant gratification, an old proverb came to be associated with hanami :
most of the sites for hanami do not have garbage bins in place. you must not leave the garbage behind. please try to minimize the amount of garbage and be sure to take the garbage with you to where you are staying .
few things capture the essence of japanese culture like
hanami
of flower viewing during the country' s spring cherry blossom season. here' s a sampling of a few places to catch those
sakura
in bloom when visiting japan .
hanami celebrations usually involve eating and drinking, and playing and listening to music. special dishes such as dango and bento are prepared and eaten at the occasion. it is also very common for sake to be drunk as a party of the festivity .
now i like to go to hanami with a few of my close friends just to enjoy the cherry blossoms, but if i go with a lot of friends or a group of colleagues, it mostly means having a party with lots of eating and drinking .
wet wipes to clean your hands, etc. are called wet tissues in japan. they are useful to clean your hands or clothes when you drop or spill food on your clothe as there may not be water readily available near where you have a hanami party .
, or nighttime sakura viewing, is generally thought to have origins in yoshiwara and similar edo period red light districts because businesses stayed open late and used lanterns to maximum effect to make their shops seems more attractive at night, especially during the short cherry blossom season. while usually men frequented the pleasure quarters, wives and daughters often came to enjoy the illuminated trees and try to catch a glimpse of the courtesans in their flashy kimono. anyone who has enjoyed yo - zakura knows there’s a dramatic difference between daytime hanami and nighttime hanami .
isetan shinjuku is closely located to shinjuku - sanchome station on the tokyo metro line. quite a few stores are found on the basement food floor and a wide variety of hanami bento from a luxurious bento which is priced at about 5, 000 yen to a healthy bento with lots of vegetables is available. as a park called shinjuku - gyoen national garden where there are 1, 300 cherry trees is close to isetan shinjuku, you can have a hanami party there. but please note that no alcohol beverage is allowed in the park .
utagawa hirokage (fl. 1851–1866). asukayama no hanami (flower viewing at asuka hill) in edo meisho dōkezukush (comical collection of famous places in edo), 1859. color woodblock album. japanese collection, asian division, library of congress (045. 00. 00 )
hanami: sakura and the art of cherry blossom viewing in japan | technobubble it’s as japanese as samurai, bullet trains and anime cartoons. one can even argue that there’s no more enduring symbol that captures japanese culture than the “sakura” or cherry blossom. check out this story on urltoken urltoken
in japan, spring is a very meaningful season. it marks the end of the year for both schools and companies, it is the time of “new encounters and new beginnings, ” as the japanese like to say. with the quickly rising temperatures, both old and young, locals and tourists, flock to see one of spring ’s most marvelous miracles: the evanescent cherry blossom, or sakura in japanese. the act of viewing and appreciating the tiny pink petals is called hanami, literally meaning flower viewing. between march and may, tokyo ’s hanami parties can be seen taking place pretty much everywhere where cherry trees can be found – but how to actually do a proper hanami? from the weather and what clothes to wear to what to bring to the event, let’s take a look at everything you need to know to make your tokyo cherry blossom experience an unforgettable one !
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torii kiyonaga (1752–1815). hanami - zuki (cherry blossom viewing month), from the series shin - yoshiwara jukkei (ten views of shin - yoshiwara), between 1785 and 1789. color woodblock print. prints and photographs division, library of congress (039. 00. 00 )
kitao shigemasa (1739–1820). yayoi or sangatsu, asukayama hanami (third lunar month, blossom viewing at asuka hill), from the series jūnikagetsu (twelve months), between 1772 and 1776. color woodblock print. prints and photographs division, library of congress (019. 00. 00 )
the most wonderful thing about being a year long student studying abroad is that i have had the opportunity to really experience all of the seasons within japan. now that spring has arrived, the flowers are blooming and it’s becoming warm enough to spend days outside having 花見 (hanami) with friends and family .
andō hiroshige (1797–1858). sumida tsutsumi hanami no zu (viewing cherry blossoms along the sumida river), from the series tōto meisho (famous views in the eastern capital), between 1848 and 1854. color woodblock print. prints and photographs division, library of congress (030. 00. 00 )
while the chinese prize the plum blossoms, the aristocracy of japan raised the cherry blossom to new status. the ritual of hanami — elaborate cherry blossom viewing ceremonies and celebrations with singing, dancing, and drinking — began at the imperial courts, practiced by elite classes, but commoners also celebrated in rural areas .
prepare foods, drinks, and things you need by the number of persons in advance. bring all of them to hanami spot at the day. bashotori makes your people happy if the spot is crowded. badminton sets, frisbees, or playthings entertain everyone. someone who you don’t know may become your friends .
two great friends of mine were made during hanami when a group nearby were playing a board game and invited a few of us over to play. although at first we focused on discussing the fragility of life as embodied by the fleeting presence of cherry blossoms, it quickly descended into what our favorite food and drink was .
花 (hana) means “flower, ” and 見 (mi), means “to view. ” together, hanami literally means “to view flowers. ” 見 is a combination of the characters for “eye” and “human, ” evolving from a pictogram of a human figure with two legs and a large eyeball for a head .
gokusui no en was a typical heian period poetry even linked to seasonal changes practiced by the northern fujiwara clan. this one is recreated once a year in hiraizumi, iwate prefecture. it wasn’t a sakura - centric event but definitely influenced by china and was focused on seasonal events like hanami in the literal sense of “looking at flowers. ”
hanami really comes down to what you might consider fun. i myself love it. it’s an excellent excuse for me and my friends to get together, eat some homemade food, drink some beers, look at the flowers, and see who can last the longest with a full bladder. you know, the usual stuff for a friday night .
japanese companies often send the youngest or lowest ranking people on their teams or in their departments to go stake out prime hanami spots in busy locations at the crack of dawn. inevitably, they begin partying, often from 6 am until the main group arrives. i came across this poor fellow at noon and it seems like… well… i guess hazing is a thing in his company .
is one of the most popular events of spring. crowds of people - families, groups of friends, and groups from companies sit under the fully open cherry blossoms, usually on plastic tarps, and have a picnic celebration (a hanami party !). the picnic fare consists of a wide variety of foods, snack foods, and sake (alcholic beverages including rice wine ,
hanami (花見) literally means
flower viewing
, however, it commonly refers only to cherry blossom viewing. cherry blossom viewing is easy: simply enjoy the intensity of the many blossoms by looking at a single tree or a group of trees. from a distance, the trees appear as beautiful clouds, while the beauty of single blossoms can be enjoyed from a close distance .
it is still chilly during the cherry blossom season which is from mid - march through early april. a body warmer is a must - have item for a hanami party. the iron powder inside the warmer produces heat. one type of body warmer is to be held in the hand to get warmth and another type has adhesive and placed it on the underwear to keep your back warm .
cherry blossoms, on the other hand, have been around with the japanese people all this time. whether it be warriors of old comparing their short lives to the brief, glorious spectacle of cherry blossom season or families, friend and coworkers partaking in “hanami” or flower viewing under a canopy of pink flower petals, the sakura is a timeless phenomenon that links the country’s past with its present .
from around late april each year, hirosaki park is tranformed into a pink wonderland with over 2, 500 cherry trees, cherry blossom tunnels, evening illuminations, moats turned completely pink with petals, lovely picnic areas, and rental rowing boats combining to create a truly magical hanami location. if you visit between april 23 and may 5, you will also catch the hirosaki cherry blossom festival .
one of my favorite ukiyo - e of all time, two groups of women doing hanami on goten’yama. you can see shinagawa below, the calm waters of edo bay below, and the ever present boats on premodern japan’s busiest harbor. looking out at the bay must have seemed like looking at the end of the world – and by that i mean the pacific ocean and modern chiba prefecture .
the cherry blossom (桜, sakura) is japan' s unofficial national flower. it has been celebrated for many centuries and holds a very prominent position in japanese culture. there are many dozens of different cherry tree varieties in japan, most of which bloom for just a couple of days in spring. the seasonal spectacle is celebrated with hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties under the trees .
the practice of hanami is many centuries old. the custom is said to have started during the nara period (710�784) when the chinese tang dynasty influenced japan in many ways; one of which was the custom of enjoying flowers. though it was ume blossoms that people admired in the beginning, by the heian period, sakura came to attract more attention. from then on, in tanka and haiku ,
flowers
meant
sakura .
hanami was first used as a term analogous to cherry blossom viewing in the heian era novel tale of genji. whilst a wisteria viewing party was also described, from this point on the terms
hanami
and
flower party
were only used to describe cherry blossom viewing. sakura originally was used to divine that year' s harvest as well as an announcer of the rice - planting season. people believed in gods' existence inside the trees and made offerings at the root of sakura trees. afterwards, they partook of the offering with sake. emperor saga of the heian period adopted this practice, and held flower - viewing parties with sake and feasts underneath the blossoming boughs of sakura trees in the imperial court in kyoto. poems would be written praising the delicate flowers, which were seen as a metaphor for life itself, luminous and beautiful yet fleeting and ephemeral. this was said to be the origin of hanami in japan. the custom was originally limited to the elite of the imperial court, but soon spread to samurai society and, by the edo period, to the common people as well. tokugawa yoshimune planted areas of cherry blossom trees to encourage this. under the sakura trees, people had lunch and drank sake in cheerful feasts. today, the japanese people continue the tradition of hanami, gathering in great numbers wherever the flowering trees are found. thousands of people fill the parks to hold feasts under the flowering trees, and sometimes these parties go on until late at night. in more than half of japan, the cherry blossoming period coincides with the beginning of the scholastic and fiscal years, and so welcoming parties are often opened with hanami. the teasing proverb dumplings rather than flowers (花より団子, hana yori dango) hints at the real priorities for most cherry blossom viewers. (a punning variation, boys over flowers (花より男子, hana yori dango), is the title of a manga and anime series. )
hirosaki castle: admittedly, this place is part of my bucket list of places to go but haven’t had a chance to visit yet. aomori’s most favorite hanami spot features an old castle, a large park, food stalls and, according to the recommending redditor, friendly locals. can be reached via 20 - minute walk or 10 - minute bus ride from hirosaki station on the jr ou line .
the cherry blossoms are in full bloom with the coming of spring. they burst into bloom then fall fleetingly and gracefully. it is important parts of the reason why japanese people love cherry blossoms. people also love hanami (it means basically watching flowers) which is a picnic under cherry blossom trees. it may be fine to focus foods or drinking without cherry blossoms, or the reason to see friends .
in the 1880’s and early 1900’s, newspapers began announcing famous spots for hanami and recommending the best times to go. the blooming of sakura coincided with the newly established school year, and companies latched on to this cycle to welcome in new hires and reinforce the commitment of existing workers’ dedication to the organization. in this way, the sakura became a symbol of birth and rebirth, rather than the fleeting existence of the samurai .
my memory of going when i lived in the city was of night - time hanami after work. the trees were pretty when lit up, and the atmosphere was great, but it would always be too cold for the women to stay long and we' d end up the nearest chain izakaya we could get in with our group. which in itself isn' t that bad, but is not exactly traditional flower viewing .
, hanami was an inherent aspect of the elite culture in peace time. but the tokugawa shōgunate took things a step further. they began planting cherry blossoms in ueno, where you could visit the magnificent mausoleums of the shōguns. this vast religious center was open to the public and would become ueno park in modern times. daimyō from other parts of japan brought the concept of public cherry blossom viewing spaces from edo back to their respective domains .
nighttime hanami in yoshiwara. you can see the lanterns illuminating the trees. also, notice the guy covering his head. men of prominent positions in the community, while allowed to – and often expected to – have concubines, were discouraged by the shōgunate from going to red light districts like the yoshiwara. they often covered their heads to avoid recognition. but, of course, they went. because oiran! !! who wouldn’t? !! 💛
utagawa hirokage was a pupil of renowned painter and printmaker andō hiroshige. the latter’s popular and comparatively stately presentations of like subject matter provide a comic spark for this envisioning of flower - viewing at asukayama. strolling revelers in the middle distance include musicians and samurai who wear blue haori jackets with loose hakama trousers. in the immediate foreground, a party of women and men reacts as a blind man inadvertently wreaks havoc on their hanami (flower viewing) picnic .
andō hiroshige’s hanami (flower viewing) scene along the sumida river is full of lively action, including a man dancing near a musician strumming the shamisen, a three - stringed banjo - like instrument. to the right another man leans forward to offer sake from a gourd container to a woman who reaches back toward him. images of the sumida river, still a famous destination for blossom viewing in tokyo, were a recurring theme in edo period (1600–1868) prints .
most japanese visit their country’s trees in groups for special cherry blossom viewings known as hanami. students visit the trees taking a half or full day off from lessons. neighborhoods organize their own viewings. companies send their newest employees to stake out areas for corporate picnicking under the trees. when the flowers burst out of their buds, the japanese people celebrate their new year with food, dance and music, emiko ohnuki - tierney, a japanese - american anthropologist, explained .
outside a small village in fukushima prefecture is hanamiyama (花見山), a hillside park whose cherry trees were originally planted by local farmers, and grew into the hanami hot spot it is today. because it’s located in the northern region of tohoku, the trees don’t bloom until mid - april. while the park is somewhat remote, that seclusion offers a lovely mountain view juxtaposed with the blossoms. and a ¥250 shuttle bus from fukushima station makes getting there a breeze !
this brought hanami to the commoners. kabuki and entertainment in the pleasure quarters were looked down upon by the shōgunate as morally questionable, but enjoying cherry blossoms was good clean fun and people of any rank could enjoy it if they had access to the trees. of course, some of the best groves where behind the high walls of the palaces of the feudal lords in edo and of shōgun’s castle in particular, but temples, shrines, and common spaces were open to all .
having the basic knowledge on how to dress for spring and what temperatures to expect, let’s look at how to actually do hanami, or cherry blossom viewing. the timing as to when the cherry trees in tokyo are in full bloom varies from year to year, but the general timeframe is from the end of march until the beginning of april. the cherry trees first start to bloom in kyushu, the south of japan, and then the bloom makes its way towards kanto and to west japan. 2017 is expected to fall within the average blooming time nationwide. as for tokyo, the cherry blossoms are expected to come out around march 25th, based on cherry blossom reports from february 8th, 2017. around this time, hanami can be enjoyed all around tokyo and many people gather to do just that. families, friends, and companies will gather under the beautifully blossoming sakura trees, equipped with bento, or boxed lunches, drinks, and snacks. hanami is one of the few occasions on which japanese people start to drink alcohol at noon. some of the most famous cherry blossom viewing spots in tokyo include ueno park, shinjuku gyoen, chidorigafuchi, and yasukuni shrine. a lot of cherry blossom spots are beautifully lit up at night, creating an almost enigmatic scenery especially at rokugien and meguro river. as breathtaking as the cherry blossom spring in tokyo is, please don’t forget that it is still march and it can get pretty chilly, so make sure to dress appropriately .
with hanami and cherry blossoms, many people say spring is japan’s most beautiful season – and indeed, there’s much to see and discover in tokyo between march and may. while you might encounter some train delays due to strong winds, the weather is generally pleasant and you’re sure to hit a perfect day for your own unique cherry blossom experience! if you want to discover cherry blossom spots all around tokyo, both famous spots and local secrets, make sure to check live japan for more information !
kyoto’s philosopher’s path is a lovely stone walkway that follows a canal through the northern part of the city’s higashiyama district. it gets its name from a particular philosopher – nishida kitaro – who was said to wander down the path in meditation on his way to kyoto university. the path runs for about two kilometres and as well as plenty of restaurants, cafes and shops it is lined all the way with cherry trees, which explode into colour in early april – providing one of kyoto’s most popular hanami spots .
please note that there will be a long line in front of a toilet at the hanami sites. and some of the sites have no toilet. you’d better find a nearby toilet beforehand. although many of convenience stores will let you use the toilet, it is not a good manner to use the toilet without buying anything. something cheap like a pack of chewing gum or a bottle of tea is just fine, so please be sure to buy something. it is a nice way to show your appreciation .
located in nara prefecture, mount yoshino (吉野山・yoshino - yama) has been a popular hanami destination for centuries. the mountain is covered by 30, 000 (!! !) cherry trees that bloom from early to mid april. due to the difference in elevation throughout its four main visiting areas, the blooming is staggered by a short period between the upper and lower sections. while there are plenty of places to stop and visit along the way, the view from the top must be seen to be believed !
goryokaku fort (五稜郭) is in hakodate, on japan’s northernmost island, hokkaido. a short tram ride from hakodate station will bring you to the unique, star - shaped fort, which was turned into a public park in the early 1900s. over 1, 000 cherry trees were planted along its moats, creating one of hokkaido’s best hanami spots. blooming usually starts in early may, and the adjacent goryokaku tower offers an incredible bird' s - eye view of the fortress that can’t be beat—though it costs ¥840 .
kitao shigemasa’s eighteenth - century hanami (flower viewing) party scene shows three women and a man at asukayama park—opened by japanese shōgun tokugawa yoshimune (1684–1751), who had its famous cherry trees planted there in 1720. comfortably arranged on a ground cover inside a partial enclosure, they are likely enjoying warmed sake. such parties continue to be a thriving japanese pastime—replete with traditional sake and picnic blankets laid out hours in advance at the best sakura viewing spots. above the image is a haiku poem describing both arboreal and human “blossoms” :
in japanese (usually shared by word of mouth). this could be anything from a very local shrine to an obscure park. these places tend to have a great hanami experience without the crowds and often don’t have all the drunks shouting and laughing with each other or passing out on wherever on the ground. and while not a secret spot, some places like shinjuku gyoen have specific rules banning alcohol – though, that doesn’t actually stop people from bringing it in, but the people who do tend to be low key about it .
yeah, the only' problem' is with the tendency for people to have their events in the same park on the same weekend regardless of where they actually live (yoyogi and ueno are main destinations for tokyo i think, but is true of any major park). a' hanami picnic' itself is basically just a regular picnic with nicer than usual scenery if you make a decent choice of location. it' s as fun (positive or not) as any other gathering of friends / new friends over food and drinks .
last but certainly not least on our list is the takato castle ruins park in nagano prefecture, the last of the official top three cherry blossom spots in japan (along with mount yoshino and hirosaki castle). located on a hill in ina city, nagano, the park is about 60 km from matsumoto (where the “black crow” castle also provides a great hanami location). visit during the month of april and you’ll find yatai stalls set up all around the park for the annual cherry blossom festival, and there are lovely illuminations held every evening from sunset until 10pm .
shinjuku gyoen (新宿御苑) is a beautiful park in the heart of tokyo, just a short walk from shinjuku station. although it costs ¥200 to enter, that’s a small price to pay for the spacious lawns perfect for laying a blanket down, enjoying your favorite foods, and gazing on more than 1, 000 cherry trees contained within, which are at their prime in early april. while hanami season can be a temperamental, fickle thing, shinjuku gyoen contains early - and late - blooming trees, which makes it perfect for those who miss the elusive prime - time viewing .
when the imperial court was based in nara in the 700’s, local aristocrats would read chinese poems celebrating the transient beauty of plum blossoms. in their gardens, each flower’s location became a new venue for poetry writing events or places to engage in other artistic endeavors, such as calligraphy, flower arrangement, and painting. the most common flowers were wisteria [ iii ], plum blossoms, peach blossoms, and ultimately cherry blossoms which were treasured for their brief yet brilliant bloom. by the heian period, the term hanami had become synonymous with cherry blossom viewing specifically, and not just flower viewing in general .
widely celebrated in japanese literature, poetry, and art, sakura carry layered meanings. for example, because they bloom briefly, the blossoms are often seen as a metaphor for the ephemeral beauty of living. at the same time, the joyful tradition of hanami (flower viewing) is an old and ongoing tradition. the practice was first associated with plum blossoms before becoming almost exclusively linked with cherry blossoms by the heian period (794–1185). with wider exposure to japanese art and culture in the nineteenth century, audiences in the u. s. and around the world embraced sakura as a particularly japanese cultural hallmark .
what is needed to do a proper hanami? since it’s an outdoor event, you want to make sure you bring everything necessary to enjoy your time under the cherry blossoms, so let’s take a look at the must - haves: ★ food: at popular spots such as ueno park and yasukuni shrine, many food stalls sell a variety of different dishes and snacks. however, the prices can be pretty high and the queues even longer, so buying things such as onigiri rice balls, bread, sweets, and drinks at nearby supermarkets and convenience stores is highly recommended. you’ll also see a lot of japanese people bringing home - made lunches in bento boxes – if you have the option, why not try making one for yourself? ★ picnic blanket: since cherry blossom viewing is a popular event and lots of people flock to parks and spots do hanami, don’t count on any benches being free to sit on! as the grass and earth tends to be rather wet n this season, we highly recommend bringing a sheet or blanket to leisurely sit on without having to worry about dampness or dirt. those picnic blankets can be purchased for as little as 100 yen in various shops. or just bring one from home! ★ tissues & wet tissues: must - haves when eating outside. while there might be public toilets at parks and shrines to wash your hands, you can expect the queues to be long. wet and regular tissues will clean your hands quick and efficient without the need to find a sink! ★ disposable tableware: especially handy when doing hanami in a larger group of people. paper plates and cups will let you share any kind of food and drink easily without having to worry about carrying a load of tableware back and forth. disposable tableware can be found in pretty much any 100 yen shop and convenience store. ★ garbage bags: this might sound a bit weird at first but in japan, trashcans can be hard to come by, even at famous cherry blossom viewing spots. the japanese way is to bring one’s own garbage bags to collect any kind of trash, take it back home and dispose it there. also, keep the waste separation rules in mind: burnable, non - burnable, cans, and bottles. a hanami pro - tip is to use the shopping bags you might have gotten when buying food and drinks as trash bags! some spots do have trash cans installed, but you shouldn’t count on it.
hanami ( 花見 , " flower viewing " ) is the japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers ; flowers ( " hana " ) are in this case almost always referring to those of the cherry ( " sakura " ) or , less frequently , plum ( " ume " ) trees . from the end of march to early may , cherry trees bloom all over japan , and around the first of february on the island of okinawa . the blossom forecast ( 桜前線 sakura-zensen ) " cherry blossom front " is announced each year by the weather bureau , and is watched carefully by those planning hanami as the blossoms only last a week or two . in modern-day japan , hanami mostly consists of having an outdoor party beneath the sakura during daytime or at night . in some contexts the sino-japanese term kan ' ō ( 観桜 , view-cherry ) is used instead , particularly for festivals . hanami at night is called yozakura ( 夜桜 ) " night sakura " . in many places such as ueno park temporary paper lanterns are hung for the purpose of yozakura . on the island of okinawa , decorative electric lanterns are hung in the trees for evening enjoyment , such as on the trees ascending mt. yae , near motobu town , or at the nakijin castle . a more ancient form of hanami also exists in japan , which is enjoying the plum blossoms ( 梅 ume ) instead , which is narrowly referred to as umemi ( 梅見 , plum-viewing ) . this kind of hanami is popular among older people , because they are calmer than the sakura parties , which usually involve younger people and can sometimes be very crowded and noisy . 
hanami (花見, " flower viewing ") is the japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers; flowers (" hana ") are in this case almost always referring to those of the cherry (" sakura ") or, less frequently, plum (" ume ") trees. from the end of march to early may, cherry trees bloom all over japan, and around the first of february on the island of okinawa. the blossom forecast (桜前線 sakura-zensen) " cherry blossom front " is announced each year by the weather bureau, and is watched carefully by those planning hanami as the blossoms only last a week or two. in modern-day japan, hanami mostly consists of having an outdoor party beneath the sakura during daytime or at night. in some contexts the sino-japanese term kan' ō (観桜, view-cherry) is used instead, particularly for festivals. hanami at night is called yozakura (夜桜) " night sakura ". in many places such as ueno park temporary paper lanterns are hung for the purpose of yozakura. on the island of okinawa, decorative electric lanterns are hung in the trees for evening enjoyment, such as on the trees ascending mt. yae, near motobu town, or at the nakijin castle. a more ancient form of hanami also exists in japan, which is enjoying the plum blossoms (梅 ume) instead, which is narrowly referred to as umemi (梅見, plum-viewing). this kind of hanami is popular among older people, because they are calmer than the sakura parties, which usually involve younger people and can sometimes be very crowded and noisy.
hanami (花見, " flower viewing ") is the japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers; flowers (" hana ") are in this case almost always referring to those of the cherry (" sakura ") or, less frequently, plum (" ume ") trees. from the end of march to early may, cherry trees bloom all over japan, and around the first of february on the island of okinawa. the blossom forecast (桜前線 sakura-zensen) " cherry blossom front " is announced each year by the weather bureau, and is watched carefully by those planning hanami as the blossoms only last a week or two. in modern-day japan, hanami mostly consists of having an outdoor party beneath the sakura during daytime or at night. in some contexts the sino-japanese term kan' ō (観桜, view-cherry) is used instead, particularly for festivals. hanami at night is called yozakura (夜桜) " night sakura ". in many places such as ueno park temporary paper lanterns are hung for the purpose of yozakura. on the island of okinawa, decorative electric lanterns are hung in the trees for evening enjoyment, such as on the trees ascending mt. yae, near motobu town, or at the nakijin castle. a more ancient form of hanami also exists in japan, which is enjoying the plum blossoms (梅 ume) instead, which is narrowly referred to as umemi (梅見, plum-viewing). this kind of hanami is popular among older people, because they are calmer than the sakura parties, which usually involve younger people and can sometimes be very crowded and noisy.