Spring is an exciting season in Japan where cherry blossoms (Sakura), fresh greenery, and a lot of lovely things, as well as festival food, abound. Furthermore, in April, the school year and business activities both start, making the season incredible with new activities or work.
The flower festival (Hanami) is an ancient and famous traditional festival. In the Japanese language, HANA means ‘flower’ and MI means ‘see,’ signifying the act of viewing flower blossoms. This Hanami festival is extremely famous in spring, known as ‘Sakura’ to the Japanese people. Sometimes, a type of Palm tree called the ‘Ume Tree’ also blooms flowers during cherry blossom season.
Every year during this season, millions of people from around the world travel to Japan to visit the iconic cherry blossoms. While the pink sakura attracts many visitors, there are also numerous other reasons to visit and gain experiences during this festival season. Every spring, ‘cherry blossoms’ or “Sakura’ bloom throughout Japan. Cherry blossom in summer is not just a flower; it is also considered a symbolic flower in Japan, representing both a time of renewal and the fleeting nature of life.
The sakura festival begins in January, centred around the cherry blossoms, starting from Okinawa in the southernmost part and finishing in Hokkaido, the northernmost part of Japan. The immense beauty of cherry blossoms or Sakura can captivate any human heart. A week-long holiday is officially observed to enjoy the mesmerizing beauty of cherry blossoms across Japan. One can realize how festive life can be for even the busiest Japanese by observing this sakura festival.
During this time, Japanese people gather with family and friends to cook and prepare food under the cherry blossom trees in parks. The entire cherry orchard is filled with laughter, dancing, singing, and chatting among the Japanese. The love and emotion of the Japanese people towards the “Cherry festival” or ‘Sakura’ can be seen by the desire to capture moments by taking pictures in various poses with cherry blossoms.