Easter has just passed and speaking of holidays, there is a Japanese national holiday in full bloom right now. Quite literally, too. I’m talking about the Cherry Blossom Festival, or as the Japanese call it, 花見 Hanami [which literally translates into ‘flower viewing’ ].
Cherry blossom festivals take place all over the country. Most of them are held between March to May. Festival dates are usually determined with reference to cherry blossom forecasts and vary from year to year.
Hanami is an important Japanese custom and is held all over Japan in spring. 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 梅見umemi [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.
The practice of hanami is many centuries old. The custom is said to have started during the Nara Period (710–794) when it was ume blossoms that people admired in the beginning. But by the Heian Period (794–1185), sakura came to attract more attention and hanami was synonymous with sakura. From then on, in both waka 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. Although a wisteria viewing party was also described, the terms "hanami" and "flower party" were subsequently used only in reference to cherry blossom viewing. Sakura originally was used to divine that year's harvest as well as announce the rice-planting season. People believed in kami [gods] inside the trees and made offerings. Afterwards, they partook of the offering with sake.
The festival itself has changed little over the centuries: groups of friends and colleagues gather to enjoy food and drink, play games, and sing and dance under blossom-laden branches. Food and drink vendors line the main pathways, but most Japanese bring specially prepared homemade (or these days, more likely store bought) hanami bento. These include the usual seasonal grilled fish and simmered spring vegetables, plus rice scattered with vegetables cut into the delicate shape of sakura petals. Green yomogimochi (spring herb dumplings) and kamaboko (fish cakes) with pink designs add to the festive mix, making the bentos especially colorful. The festivities start at lunchtime and continue in waves on through the night. Hanami at night is called 夜桜 yozakura [which literally means night sakura]. Gorgeous flowers are main attractions of the festivals, but a variety of traditional Japanese performing arts presented in many festivals can't be missed. Joining tea ceremonies held under cherry trees can be a memorable experience as well. During the night the atmosphere transforms, thanks to the efforts of local committees who transform the parks with huge torches and rows of gaily colored lanterns. The parties can get boisterous; if you are wandering alone, you'll soon find yourself invited to join drunken parties by emboldened revelers.
Smaller hanami celebrations take place in Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines, and China.
Thank you Simone [Unashamed] for this lovely layout
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