by Nicola, staff writer of japan-guide.com
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In the planning stages of a trip to Japan, one will quickly hear about the Sakura season. Come late February, newpapers begin forcasting each regions' blossoming period and the official predictions on peak bloom dates are set. Though blooming periods become later and later as you move up the mountains, March through May is the general season, particularly for bigger sites in the popular Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka areas. By early March, cherry blossom sightings make the newspaper and blue tarps appear at hot spots like Tokyo's Shinjuku Goen and Asukayama Parks. Tarps indicate the space is being reserved for a Hanami party; the cherry blossom inspired, alcohol flavoured picnic with friends and family. Late March sees these picnic partiers arrive in full force. For weeks, even months through the spring, sakura viewing, blooming and picnicing dominate the national consciousness. Men don pink ties, and sweaters and women carry home branches of cherry blossoms for ikebana (Japanese flower arranging). It seems as if the whole country has gone mad with blossoms.
Because of this fixation, I`m afraid I began this sakura season as something of a disbeliever. While I certainly imagined the blossoming period to be lovely, I wondered whether the 'sakura hype' could match the sakura reality. Recently however, I've reevaluated my sakura skepticism and embraced the hanami-mania. After a day of walking through some of Tokyo's cherry blossom spots, stumbling on the odd cherry tree in full bloom, I've come to appreciate the intensity of the fixation.
Coming from a cold climate country, I am already familiar with the sense of renewal and revival that spring can awaken after a hard winter. I didn't imagine that spring would feel quite so eventful here in Japan given my region's relatively tame winter (in comparison to my previous winters abroad). However, the sudden colour and vibrancy that the ume and sakura trees inject into the landscape, whether urban or rural, makes for a spring as refreshing and invigorating as any I've ever experienced. Sakura really are something special. And the care taken by Japanese towns and cities to create attractive sakura viewing parks is pretty special as well. The cherry trees aren't self sustaining, they need quite a lot of attention, from pruning in the spring to mulching in the fall. As anyone in Japan in the spring can attest to, there are a lot of cherry trees, making this quite a lot of work.
So its no wonder every spring sees armies of sakura arrive in force. Whether foreign tourist, ex-patriot, Japanese citizen or Japanese tourist, the cherry blossoms are worth your time and effort to chasing down and view in full bloom. And it is a happy fact that real hanami includes eating and drinking with friends and family at the same time as enjoying the scenery. If you haven't been in Japan for a sakura season, you will likely remain unconvinced and perhaps even question the sanity of a nation obsessed by pink blossoms. However, one hanami picnic under a pale pink shower of petals will eliminate the inner skeptic and make you a reveler with all the rest.
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