Each year, from March to May, people in Japan gather together to watch the Sakura (cherry blossoms) bloom and observe how at the peak of their beauty, the blossoms start to fall, reminding us that although life is beautiful, it is also ephemeral and short.
The ‘Hanami Party’ (a celebration of the flowers) originated in the Nara period (710-794) when the Japanese aristocrats held tea parties under the plum and cherry trees, talking, writing poetry, or drinking wine, while watching the cherry blossom petals fall gently through the air 🌸
Nowadays, Hanami is a national festival, and is one of the oldest traditions in Japan.
To ‘Hanami’ like a local, all you need is a blue tarp (from a local ‘Konbini’), a picnic basket filled with food, snacks, sweets, beer, sake, tea etc, a bunch of friends to party with, and a cherry tree in full bloom to sit under 🌸
There are a few rules to remember though: respect the delicate Sakura trees, don’t hurt the roots or pick the blossoms, don’t occupy prime Hanami Spots for too long, and don’t be too loud or make a fool of yourself 🤭
And if you stay on into the evening, and can still see clearly through the sake haze, you’ll have a beautiful ‘yozakura’ (night Sakura viewing) 🏮
Ueno Kōen or Ueno Park is well known for being one of Tokyo’s hot Hanami spots, with its profusion of cherry trees, grassy picnic spots and wide avenues for strolling under the blossoms.
Ueno is also known as the cultural heart of Tokyo, with the city’s highest concentration of museums, most of which are in and around Ueno Park.
It is an eclectic mix of nature, art, history, food and shopping, and has an array of train stations on hand to take you anywhere else in Tokyo you might want to go 🚄
Throughout, you’ll find giant sculptures sitting comfortably beside peak hour commuter crossings, vibrant highrise dwarfing a labyrinth of ramshackle lanes, and grand old museums looking regally out over rows and rows of delicately blooming cherry trees 🌸
On a morning wander through the park you’ll see Kimono clad women scurrying past tourists dressed to the nines (searching for that insta-worthy ‘Sakura’ snap), and a long procession of sweet little school children being led on excursion through the park, while at Ueno Zoo a growing line of animal lovers will be waiting patiently for the gates to open 🐼
Ueno it seems, is a place of comfortable contradictions.
And Ueno Park is the perfect place for Tokyo newbies to find their feet, wander the petal strewn paths, soak up some Japanese culture and be awestruck by the natural beauty that is Tokyo in the Spring 🌸
Cherry Blossom Forecast:
The cherry blossoms start blooming in the southern part of Japan first and gradually make their way north. To find out when and where the cherry blossoms will be out, follow the Cherry Blossom Forecast for historical trends, including the date of first bloom and full bloom.
Further Reading:
Where to see Beautiful Cherry Blossoms in Japan
Handy Travel Guide Links:
Lonely Planet’s Experience Tokyo travel guide reveals exciting new ways to explore this iconic city with insider tips from local experts and handy planning tools so you can create your own unique trip.
Mindfulness Travel Japan is the perfect travel guide to Japan when you need to breathe, pause, focus and relax.
Unlocking your Japanese potential, especially the vocabulary needed during a trip to Japan, shouldn’t be a long, complex process. It should be simple, quick and straightforward. Learning to read and speak Japanese like a native has never been easier with the Easy Japanese Phrasebook
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