Hanami is a Japanese national tradition of admiring flowers that originated in the imperial court. Courtiers would spend hours under flowering trees, enjoying socializing, light drinks, parlor games, and composing poetry.
The short and brilliant blooming period of spring flowers, plum and sakura, which lasts from 7 to 10 days, saw a deep meaning in the Land of the Rising Sun. The falling flower petals were identified with the beauty and transience of life, with courage and purity of thought. Admiring cherry blossoms is easy. Just enjoy the flowers on one tree or a whole group of them. From afar, the trees look like clouds, and the beauty of the individual blossoms is revealed at close range. Sakura in bloom look especially beautiful in combination with castles, temples and shrines. In some places, the trees are illuminated in the evening, creating an amazing sight.
Hanami in the traditional Japanese sense includes not only a walk in the park, but also a picnic under the blossoming trees.
The cherry blossom festival has been held in Japan for centuries, and today it is celebrated in many public and private parks and gardens. In particularly popular parks, picnic areas are arranged in advance. It is common practice in Japan to spread a mat from early in the morning with the name of the group and the time they plan to occupy it, or someone from the group stays there all day and waits for the others to arrive.
Employees of large firms specifically set aside a day to admire the sakura, a sort of corporate event. That is, on this day they go to work, but spend it in the park with the boss and coworkers, have a picnic with various goodies and alcoholic beverages. They even sing special songs composed for the occasion of Hanami.
Itinerary (April 4-14, 2018)
Day 1: Tokyo
Meet and greet
Day 2: Kyoto
Day 3: Arashiyama – Himeji – Okayama
Day 4: Osaka
Day 5: Nara and Kyoto
Day 6: Hiroshima
Day 7: Miyajima
Day 8-11: Tokyo
Night street, gardens, Shinjuku Gyoen, Omontesando, Takeshita, Oraiba, Shibuya, Roppongi