The Japanese “Hanami” (花見) is the popular practice of picnicking under a blooming sakura or ume tree. It is very popular in Japan during Cherry Blossom Season March-April.
Hanami 花見 literally means “flower viewing”. It usually refers to cherry blossom viewing. Cherry blossom viewing (Hanami) and picnicking are a popular practice with people of all ages in certain areas of Japan. Typically, people bring a picnic blanket (or blue tarp to sit on) to a park filled with cherry blossoms, and spend the day with their family of friends watching the beautiful pink flowers fall.
The Japanese Cherry Blossom, Prunus serrulata, is sometimes called “sakura” after the Japanese (桜 or 櫻; さくら).
The “Japan Cherry Blossom Association” has made a list of Japan’s Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots for Hanami.
There are some very popular Cherry blossom Hanami areas in – Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo. Some famous Cherry Blossom 花見 festivals in Japan include:
– Yaedake Cherry Blossom Festival in Okinawa.
– Matsuyama Shiroyama Koen Cherry Blossom Festival in Matsuyama-city, Ehime.
– Matsue Jozan Koen Festival in Matsue-city, Shimane (includes illuminated cherry blossom trees at night).
– Tsuyama Kakuzan Koen Cherry Blossom Festival in Tsuyama-city, Okayama.
– Takato Joshi Koen Cherry Blossom Festival in Takato-machi Ina-city, Nagano prefecture. The trees in this region have pink blossoms.
– Takada Koen Cherry Blossom Festival in Joetsu-city, Niigata prefecture.
– Kitakami Tenshochi Cherry Blossom Festival in Kitakami-city, Iwate.
– Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival held in Hirosaki Koen Hirosaki-city, Aomori prefecture.
AloJapan.com