My Trip to Japan: Hanami – Cherry Blossom Viewing Event
Hanami is a special Cherry Blossom Viewing event in Japan during the spring, when the cherry blossom trees bloom throughout Japan. People will head out to the parks, gardens, and other special cherry blossom sites, to sit under these beautiful trees and partake in a delicious Japanese meal while viewing the beautiful blossoms surrounding them.
Hanami blossom viewing can be dated back to the Nara Period (710-794) when there were viewing parties for plum, wisteria and cherry blossoms. Then during the Heian Period (794-1185), the term Hanami was used exclusively for cherry blossom viewing. So the Hanami event has been a long, celebrated Japanese tradition and steeped in historic Japanese culture.
Image Credit
Hanami starts during the day and will last into the night but many say that the best time to be at the event is during dusk time of the day. This is when the trees make an awesome pink glow when the lanterns are hung on them. They say that the atmosphere is like a pink magical glow all around them. What a magnificent place to be, eating delicious food, spending time with family and friends and relaxing in the serene beauty of the Cherry Blossom Trees!
There are many places to spend during the Hanami season however here are the top ten spots to go to:
- Mount Yoshino, Nara Prefecture
- Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo
- Himeji Castle, Hyogo Prefecture
- Mt. Fuji, between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures
- Philosopher’s Path, Kyoto
- Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa
- Miharu Takizakura. Miharu, Fukushima
- Hirosaki Castle, Hirosaki
- Hanamiyama Park, Fukushima
- Takato Castle Ruins, Nagano
During the Hanami season, there are many Sakura food products that are made special for this time of the year. These are limited edition products that are available for only a short period of time, like the cherry blossoms that last only 1-2 weeks. These include the Sakura Hai, a sweet alcoholic drink, Sakura dumplings, Sakura Kit Kats, Sakura beer, Sakura crisps, & Starbucks’ Sakura flavored latte. Many people have said that these Sakura products are an acquired taste!
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One of the most popular Hanami related foods is the Hanami Dango pictured above. These are sweetened rice flour dumplings which are usually on a skewer and colored in pink, white and green shades.
Spring time in Japan is a very special time to visit because of the beautiful cherry blossom season. The pink and white blossoms decorate all the streets, yards and parks, coloring the landscape with various shades of pink & white. Stores are filled with wonderful Sakura specialty products for people to enjoy and people eagerly prepare for Hanami. The air is filled with Spring and a happy time to reflect on the essence of life.
There’s no such thing as a stranger
– Issa Kobayashi
Thank-you for joining me in the second part of my cherry blossom series. Please look for my next post which will cover history of the cherry blossoms in Washington DC. If you would like to see other posts that I have created, please click HERE.
awesome..!
Thank-you so much for visiting my post, commenting and voting. It is sincerely appreciated!
Great post! followed and upvoted!
Why don't you check my recent post about going somewhere?
https://steemit.com/tea/@songha/2-where-did-i-go-bobapop-tea-milk-shop
Thank-you @songha for following and voting. I truly appreciate the support. I will check out your post. Have a nice day/evening!
Thanks a lot. We will support each other. I'm looking forward you reading more my new posts. Have a nice day ^^
This is awesome, miss your replies are you ok and how is the dog.
You are like a warm comforting hand that reaches out to give love and concern. Thank-you. We are waiting patiently for the August 8th appointment with the Oncologist but it has been an extremely trying time, especially for my daughter. The anxiety comes and goes, and there are times when crying is the best. Our dog Lady is special....she must sense something because she tries to always herd us together. She likes us to be in the same room with her. Thank-you Bigbear for asking. It is deeply appreciated! I will let you know when we find out the prognosis. I will be like water and try to calmly flow around these obstacles in life. Please take care of yourself too!
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STOPHow spectacular! I would love to visit Japan during Cherry blossom season. You post was like a little mini-vacation!
@eyeofthestorm I'm so sorry it took so much time to respond. I really appreciated your lovely comment and support. It was very nice of you. Japan was spectacular during the cherry blossom time. There really was a happiness and joy in the air. And the flowers and colorful sights were also amazing. I actually had so much fun that I want to return soon. I wish you much success in Steemit so that you can travel and enjoy the world. Have a great weekend and again, thank-you for visiting my post! :D
The cherry-blossom viewing spot I go is Chidorigahuchi. I can see very beautiful cherry blossoms.
Doesn't the cherry blossoms make you happy and remind us that life is beautiful but fragile. We need to enjoy the now!