April is a very important time in Japan. Firstly, it marks the start of the new school year, the cherry blossoms are in flower and it's the start of new life!
Early April is the best time to see the cherry blossoms in flower. Many people at this time go to see the cherry blossoms. They go to do 花見 (hanami) which literally means to look at the flowers. This usually involves a picnic party, food and drink and alcohol. Hanami is a tradition that has been going on for a thousand years.
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| Hanami in Ueno By I took this photograph. (Self-photographed) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
Hanami checklist- how to enjoy hanami
- Make sure that the area that you wish to hanami allows hanami.
Some places do not allow hanami even if there are many cherry blossoms
- Find a toilet beforehand
Some hanami sites have toilets but not all of them. And even if there is a toilet, it will be very busy. Places such as some supermarkets and covenience stores will have toilets but you should buy something to show your appreciation, perhaps something small like a pack of gum or tissues?
- Make sure you take all of your rubbish home
Most hanami sites do not have rubbish bins and it is better to leave the site tidy as you found it
What about taking some plastic bags?
- Have all the items you need for a good hanami
You can definitely get all of the following for 100 yen each in a hundren yen store
A picnic mat would be very useful for putting the food and drink on. The ground may also be damp, and it's not very nice sitting on the damp ground
Take some bin bags with you, for the rubbish
Some wet handwipes may be useful.
Some department stores such as Isetan will sell special hanami lunch sets but most people make their own picnic.
| Please write in the comments about your hanami expiriences. I hope that you enjoyed this post ＼(^o^)／ |
