If you're in Japan around March, you'll probably come across weather forecast on cherry blossoms on TV, newspaper, or SNS, announcing when the cherry blossoms will bloom. It took me quite a while to understand, but this "unique forecast" leads all towards HANAMI SEASON.
First off, what is Hanami ?
Hanami (花見), which directly translates to flower viewing is a Japanese cultural activity that takes place every spring, just as the Sakura (cherry blossom) starts blooming. This symbolically represent the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Not to mention, as Sakura season usually only lasts for about a few weeks top, and typically travels from South up North, people across Japan carefully watches the news in order to pick out the perfect Hanami date.
How does Hanami work ?
Simply: you gather a group of people you wanna go with (or just yourself is fine), you settle on a date and you decide on where to do the Hanami. A normal hanami could last for as long as you want, either day or night, and at any spot with a view of the cherry blossoms. The most popular places would be either at the park or by a river.
At the Hanami spot, each group brings their own sheets to sit on (either plastic sheets you find at Daiso, or from any material at all).. But since it was our first hanami, we weren't really sure what to do, so we ended up taping old hand-outs from last semester. Ah, and remember to put your shoes OUTSIDE the sheet, and make sure to pick up any trash before leaving.
A rule of thumb: you might wanna find an even, flat space so your drinks and food won't spill over. In lots of cases people choose to do hanami at the public tables, or they bring their own stools to sit on.
Popular foods to enjoy at Hanami ?
Aside from the main event - viewing the cherry blossoms, everyone usually brings food and drinks (alcohol or juice) with them.
Popular savoury foods to enjoy at Hanami:
Bento (lunch box) 🍱 either home-made or bought
Onigiri (rice balls) 🍙
Sushi 🍣
Fried-dishes (karaage, tempura, gyoza) 🥟 🍤
Popular sweets to enjoy at Hanami
Popular drinks to enjoy at Hanami
Sake and Chuhai (Japanese cocktail)🍶
Beer 🍻
Tea 🍵
But to be fair, hanami is an intimate activity between you and your friends and your family, so don't feel too compelled to follow the exact "menu" of this tradition. Just bring anything you feel like everyone can enjoy together (the second time i went Hanami we ordered at a nearby pizzaria, and it was epic ❤ )
Okay so . . . how do you "do" Hanami . . . ?
Anything, to be honest.
There is NO FORMAT or ORDER to what you do during a Hanami.
In Japan, Spring time is when most excitements happen: graduation day, entering a new school year, or starting a new job. In other words, Hanami, more than simply watching flowers bloom, is a social gathering and celebration as it can evoke many emotions.
Perhaps, depending on your group of people you're going with, your Hanami will vary: partying and playing games, dancing and doing karaoke, or simply, goofing around with friends.
Last year when I first came to Japan, it was crazy cold at the time, and the Sakura were not in full bloom yet. Moreover, it was rather windy and occasionally rained, so I missed out my chance to do Hanami. Luckily this year, I had people to experience this transient beauty of flowers for the first time.
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