Hanami 101: How to View Cherry Blossoms in Japan and Beyond

For centuries, the Japanese have celebrated the advent of spring by picnicking under pinkblossomed cherry trees or sakura. Now the rest of the world is cottoning on to the splendor of “hanami”, the ancient art of flower-viewing.

Every year, in late March or early April, a wave of pink and white sakura blossoms sweeps across Japan, starting in the warmer southern climes of Kyushu and finishing up on the northern isle of Hokkaido almost six weeks later. So important is the advance of the “Cherry Blossom Front” that the Japan Meteorological Agency forecasts when it will reach each region.

The people of Japan celebrate the arrival of the sakura blossoms by picnicking under the blooming trees. Families, friends, and coworkers gather in parks to eat, drink, and socialize beneath a canopy of white and pink. Known as hanami (flower viewing in English), it’s not just a lovely way to while away a spring afternoon – it’s a spiritual undertaking rooted in centuries of history and philosophy.

First, some history

Section Type: standardWidthImageS

Kiyomizu-dera temple with cherry blossoms at spring in Kyoto, Japan

The first flower viewing parties in Japan took place during the Nara period, about 1,400 years ago. Inspired by the Chinese tradition of flower viewing, urban elites hosted parties under plum (not cherry) trees to herald the arrival of spring. During the Heian period (794 – 1185 AD) cherry blossoms replaced plum blossoms as the primary springtime attraction, and so it has remained ever since. The Tale of Genji, an 11thcentury literary masterpiece regarded by many as the world’s first novel, likens its heroine to “a mountain cherry tree in perfect bloom, emerging from the mists of a spring dawn.”

The Nihon Kōki, the official history book of ancient Japan, first recorded the cherry blossom bloom in Kyoto in the spring of the year 812, and the country’s scribes haven’t skipped a year in the 12 centuries since. As the world’s longest continual climate dataset, Japan’s cherry blossom record offers some interesting (and sobering) insights into climate change.

The Edo period represents the “golden age of cherry blossoms,” according to Naoki Abe, author of The Sakura Obsession. “The arrival of a peaceful era contributed to the rise of a merchant class. As merchants became more affluent and had more time for leisure, gardening and flower viewing were enjoyed by a wider population.”

Vital statistics

Section Type: standardWidthImageS

Somei Yoshino Blooms

With millions of sakura trees, from over 100 different varieties, carpeting much of Japan, it’s tempting to assume that the blossoms are followed by delicious ripe cherry fruits. On the contrary, sakura are specifically bred to have beautiful flowers, and the cherries eaten in Japan are western varieties. Some sakura varieties have no fruit at all, while others bear bitter, unpalatable fruits that are more stone than flesh.

By far the most common sakura variety (accounting for around 80% of sakura trees in Japan) is the Somei Yoshino. Dating back to the Edo period (1603 – 1868), the Somei Yoshino has five petals which start off dusky pink, before getting gradually paler and falling to the ground. Other important varieties are the Shidarezakura (Weeping Cherry), whose wispy willow-like branches make it the most beautiful sakura of all, and the bright pink Kanhizakura (Bellflower Cherry) which is synonymous with the subtropical island of Okinawa, where it starts blooming as early as January. The Edohigan, a wild sakura tree, is widely regarded as the oldest sakura species, with one splendid specimen still going after 2,000 years.

Deeper meaning

Section Type: standardWidthImageS

Japanese tea ceremony

A big part of the reason Japanese people have always gotten so excited about hanami is the sakura’s incredible beauty. It is hard to describe the impact of gazing upon a sea of pink-white petals until you’ve experienced it for yourself.

But there is more to it than sheer beauty. In Buddhism, “cherry blossoms symbolize the cycle of birth, death and rebirth — echoing the cycle of life and the impermanence of all things.” And in Shintoism, Japan’s other major religion, “cherry blossoms represent the transient nature of life,” reflecting the belief held by many in the fleeting beauty of existence.

The sakura petals are made more beautiful because they only stay on the trees for about a week.

The Japanese tea ceremony, writes Rob Moran, is rooted in the same sense of impermanence. “Its key principle of ichi-go ichi-e, literally ‘one time, one meeting’, is a reflection on how each moment of our lives is unique and unrepeatable. Both the sakuraand the tea ceremony are examples of what is referred to in Japanese as monono-aware, ‘the bittersweet poignancy of things’. In other words, it is precisely because these moments will pass us by, never to return, that we can appreciate them all the more.”

As this in-depth article on the history of sakura in ceramic art elaborates:

“One of the most evocative images of cherry blossom season in Japan is sakura fubuki, literally ‘a cherry blossom blizzard.’ The term describes the moment when petals begin to fall in large numbers and move through the air like a soft spring snowstorm.

It is a beautiful image, but also a meaningful one, because it captures the brief life of the blossoms at the very moment they begin to disappear. That image helps explain why sakura carries such unusual emotional weight. The blossoms arrive suddenly, transform streets, parks, temples, and riversides, and then begin to fall almost as soon as they reach full bloom”

See them for yourself

Section Type: standardWidthImageS

Cherry Blossom Trees in Full Bloom

The most famous cherry blossom viewing spots typically combine serene natural landscapes with historic buildings like pagodas or castle ruins. Tokyo, Kyoto and Mt Fuji are all popular spots for hanami, while some more far-flung places attract visitors from all over the country (and beyond).

Tokyo, Kyoto & Mt Fuji

• Chidorigafuchi (Tokyo): The moat surrounding the Imperial Palace is one of Tokyo’s most famous hanami spots, particularly when petals drift across the water. Stroll beneath the blossoms or even rent a boat.

• Ueno Park (Tokyo): Home to around 1,000 cherry trees, Ueno Park is one of the capital’s liveliest blossom-viewing locations. Festive atmosphere and great food stalls.

• The Philosopher's Path (Kyoto): A 2km tranquil stone walkway tracing a canal, shaded by over 400 cherry trees. Busy during the day, but blessedly uncrowded at night.

• Keage Incline (Kyoto): This former railway slope next to Nanzen-ji Temple is lined with roughly 100 blooming trees.

• Maruyama Park (Kyoto): The old imperial capital’s most famous hanami spot is centered around an enormous weeping cherry tree that is spectacularly illuminated in the evenings.

• Arakurayama Sengen Park (Mount Fuji): This iconic viewpoint combines cherry blossoms, a five-storey pagoda and magnificent views of Mount Fuji.

Further afield in Japan

• Yoshino: Often regarded as Japan’s most famous cherry blossom destination, Yoshino’s mountainsides are covered with thousands of wild flowering trees.

• Hirosaki Park: Located near the northern tip of Honshu island, this park surrounds historic Hirosaki Castle and bursts into colour from late April to early May.

• Takada Castle Site Park: Famous for its spectacular night-time blossom displays, this park four hours from Tokyo is home to more than 4,000 cherry trees and thousands of lanterns.

• Minami-Izu Town: Perched on the scenic Izu Peninsula, near Tokyo, Minami-Izu is known for its early-blooming Kawazu-zakura cherry trees, which flower from February into March.

• Mt. Shiude: Located midway between Hiroshima and Kyoto, this mountain offers panoramic views of around 1,000 cherry trees against the backdrop of the Seto Inland Sea.

Beyond Japan

Cherry blossom travel to Japan has become very popular in recent years, but the good news is you don’t have to travel all the way to The Land of the Rising Sun to witness incredible cherry blossom displays. Here are some of our top picks from around the globe.

• Beijing, China: Head to Yuyuantan Park in March and April to see nearly 3,000 cherry trees representing around 40 varieties. Having so many different species extends the bloom window.

• Campos do Jordão, Brazil: Brazil is home to one of the world's largest Japanese communities outside Japan and this mountain town celebrates cherry blossom season every August.

• Jerte Valley, Spain: For roughly two weeks each March, the landscape becomes a spectacular sea of white blossom. Unlike sakura, these flowers produce delicious edible cherries.

• Macon, Georgia: Often called the "Cherry Blossom Capital of the World", Macon boasts around 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees.

• Seoul, South Korea: Cherry blossom season usually arrives in early April, with the city's most famous displays found around Yeouido Hangang Park and its annual festival.

• Vancouver, Canada: The city is home to more than 40,000 cherry trees, many descended from gifts made by Japanese cities and communities over the past century.

• Washington, D.C., USA: The city's famous cherry trees were gifted by Tokyo in 1912 and remain concentrated around the Tidal Basin.