CHERRY BLOSSOM
LATE MARCH - APRIL JAPANESE NAME: SAKURA
There’s no better way to start the flower calendar year than with the arrival of the nation’s most globally famous flower, the cherry blossom. As the weather begins to turn from crisp, short winter days to longer, more leisurely spring ones, the warmer weather brings with it a sense of hope, anticipation, and fresh beginnings, all spurred on by the arrival of the soft pink sakura buds.
The evolution of cherry blossom buds is fascinating; they develop during the previous summer before entering a dormant state like hibernation in autumn and winter. The slow, constant exposure to the warmer spring days kicks the buds into gear, and once they do arrive – in late March/early April depending on the temperature – they last just two or so weeks before carpeting the ground in endless pink petals. But if you’re lucky, you’ll be able to witness a crossover of blossom appearances, as Japan expert and Tokyo-based journalist Lisa Wallin explains. “One of the things I love about sakura is that there are so many varieties and they bloom at different times, so spring feels like it lasts a lot longer here.”
Embedded with meaning, cherry blossoms play a key role in Japanese culture and philosophy.
Within their short lifespan, they represent rebirth, the impermanence of all things, and the appreciation of the beauty of nature.
Cherry blossom season is celebrated throughout Japan. Hanami (flower-viewing) picnic parties pop up in parks across the country, while businesses – including the country’s famous convenience stores – sell a seemingly endless array of cherry blossom themed snacks, traditional foods like sakura mochi (a dessert), and even cherry blossom-decorated cans of beer.
Many of Tokyo’s major parks host cherry blossom festivals and celebrations. Some of the biggest and best known are Ueno Park’s Sakura Matsuri and the Nakameguro Sakura Matsuri Festival, which runs along the Meguro River.
However, many other parks, like Harajuku’s Yoyogi Park, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, and Kichijoji’s Inokashira Park, are buzzing with picnic-goers jostling for prime position under the blossomheavy branches.
No matter where you visit, Wallin explains, you’ll be greeted with wonderful views. “Walking around residential neighbourhoods often rewards you with tiny pockets of daintily decorated trees in small parks or peeking over garden walls, and it’s a lot less crowded than the typical cherry blossom viewing spots.”
The arrival of cherry blossoms is a truly magical time in Japan.