At the end of March, sakura begins to bloom in Japan and every year thousands of tourists go there just to look at the blossoming buds of Japanese cherry trees.
The Japanese associate cherry blossoms with clouds; they metaphorically call walking through a garden with cherry blossoms walking among the clouds. The comparison refers to the principle of mono no aware – “the sad charm of things.” What’s sad about beautiful pink buds? It turns out that the whole point is in the transience of flowering and their rapid withering – the Japanese correlate this with the life and death of a person.
Watching flowers bloom is referred to in Japanese by the word “hanami,” which literally translates to “flower admiration.” The tradition attracts tourists from all over the world and even gradually spreads beyond the country. However, neither in Chicago, nor in Amsterdam, nor in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, where there are also cherry blossom alleys, will admiring its blossoms give such emotions as in Japan. Maximum immersion in hanami is facilitated by the very atmosphere of the country, its customs, architecture and mentality.
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Sakura blooms for a short time – about 7-10 days. If you don’t have time to get to the flowering period of trees in one region, you can go to another. Or even arrange a tour around the country to enjoy cherry blossoms for a month and a half, moving from one garden to another.
Due to the short flowering period, you need to know for sure before your trip whether you will be able to see the trees awakening in a particular location, or whether it is better to go to a region where the cherry blossoms bloom later. Every year a cherry blossom schedule is compiled, and it is quite accurate. For example, this year in Tokyo, sakura will bloom at the end of March, but in Sapporo, flowering will begin only at the beginning of May.
Good manners
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Each Japanese park has its own rules of behavior – be sure to follow them. The Japanese are very respectful of their land and expect the same from tourists. Here are some rules:
- You cannot pick sakura, climb trees and shake them to shed the crown.
- In most parks it is prohibited to make fires, including barbecue or barbecue.
- The same applies to alcohol: in some places the consumption of alcoholic beverages is not encouraged. Although here, as in any country and place, everything rather depends on the drinking culture. A glass of wine is one thing, several bottles are another.
Although spring has arrived, the temperature can be quite low. Better dress warmly, don’t let the bright sun and blooming greenery fool you.
Check the weather forecast: a picnic in a downpour is unpleasant in itself, but the rain can also knock down the cherry blossoms, which will stick to your clothes.
It’s better to look at sakura from afar, without sitting directly under the trees, otherwise the petals will get into your food and drinks.
Not all parks have trash disposal areas. Be prepared to take the packages with you.
Where to go for hanami
Tokyo
Flowering period: late March – early April
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In the Japanese capital there are several large parks with sakura. Let’s say Ueno,
is also famous for its zoo, which has about two and a half thousand animals. If you missed Tokyo’s main cherry blossom season, check out Shinjuku Gyoen,
where not only early, but also late varieties of sakura grow. In both parks, flowering should begin in the last days of March. Shinjuku Gyoen is considered one of the best places for hanami in all of Japan.
Five Lakes Fuji
Flowering period: late March – early April
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In the vicinity of Mount Fuji there are parks where sakura grows in abundance. The five lakes (Yamanaka, Kawaguchi, Sai, Shoji and Motosu) are beautiful in themselves, and during the cherry blossom season they transform even more. Thus, from Lake Kawaguchiko there is a beautiful view of the mountain itself in any season. On the northern and eastern shores of this lake there are many cherry trees, which bloom in early April.
Kyoto
Flowering period: late March – mid-April
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In the city of Kyoto on the island of Honshu there are also large parks, as if specially created for hanami. A water canal stretches along the city, along the banks of which cherry trees grow. This place is called the “Philosophical Road” (Path of Philosophy): it is assumed that a walk under the cherry blossoms will help you get away from vain thoughts and tune in to thoughts about lofty things.
The main place in Kyoto for hanami is Maruyama Park. The highlight is the luxurious looking weeping cherry tree, which is illuminated at night during the flowering period.
In the northern part of the city is the Haradani-en Garden. The territory of 13 square kilometers is privately owned, so visiting the garden is paid – the cost is 1,200 yen on a weekday and 1,500 yen on weekends and holidays, which is approximately 640 and 800 rubles, respectively. If you want a quieter and more secluded holiday, we recommend looking here.
Tohoku Region
Flowering period: late April – early May
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Tohoku is located in the northern part of the island of Honshu. Sakura blossoms here later than in other regions. The peak occurs at the end of April – beginning of May. In the small town of Kitakami there is a wonderful Tenshochi Park,
which attracts tourists year after year.
Another interesting place is the city of Hirosaki, where sakura grows in the park around the ancient Hirosaki Castle. It was built four hundred years ago – in 1611 and is considered one of the important tourist sites.
Sapporo
Flowering period: early May
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Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido has three parks where you can see cherry blossoms. This is Maruyama Park (not to be confused with the place of the same name in Kyoto),
Odori and Moerenuma. Here the sakura will bloom the latest – not earlier than the first days of May.
Preview photo: Arno Smit/Unsplash.com
