Japan’s Spring Event “Hanami” | Guidable - Your Guide to a Sustainable, Wellbeing-centred Life in Japan

Japan’s Spring Event “Hanami”

By Guidable Writers Feb 14, 2017

This post is also available in: Chinese (Simplified) Spanish Chinese (Traditional)

<What is Hanami?>

Hanami is basically a cherry blossom viewing during spring.

People will bring alcohol, bring their own bentou (a packed lunch), snacks and eat under the cherry blossom trees.

To eat Sakura Mochi and dango is a traditional food for Hanami.

BTW, “Sakura” is Japanese, meaning “Cherry Blossom”.

[Pics of sakura mochi and dango]

Hanami represents the bloom of Sakura and a signal of the ending winter and the starting spring.

 

<When is the season for Hanami?>

It depends on the year, but usually the best season for Hanami is the end of March to the beginning of April.

You can know when cherry blossom bloomed via internet and news, so check it out during that season.

The cherry blossom only bloom for 1 or 2 weeks, so don’t miss it!

 

<What should I bring for Hanami?>

There are several things that you should bring for Hanami.

  1. Leisure sheet
  2. Garbage bag
  3. Tissue
  4. Snacks and Food
  5. Drinks (non-alcohol beverages and alcohol)

*Drinking alcohol in Public is legal in Japan

 

Bringing a leisure sheet is really important because to sit on the ground directory make your clothes dirty!

It is also important to bring a garbage bad to throw away the garbage. Be friendly to the environment!

Tissues can be very useful because in most cases, people will drop their food, spill drink on the leisure sheet.

 

<Where is the best place to go for Hanami?>

If you live in Tokyo, the best place for Hanami is Meguro River.

There are 800 cherry blossom trees along the river. Admission is free and 24 hours open, so it is worth going at night and see the night cherry blossoms!

 

Another famous place for Hanami around Tokyo is Rikugien. The cherry blossom lights up at night, so this place will be better going at night.

The entrance fee is 300 yen for adults and free for children. There are shops that sell foods and drinks as well.

 

If you live in Kansai area, Daigoji (Kyoto) is well known for the beautiful place for Hanami.

There are about 800 cherry blossom trees in the temple. The entrance costs 600 yen for adults and 300 yen for children, but it is definitely worth checking it out!

 

Another place will be Mount Yoshino which is in Nara prefecture.

There are 4 different kinds of cherry blossom trees and total 30,000 trees there.

The entrance is free and there are shops that sell food and drinks.

 

Hanami has been popular for a long time as one of traditional Japanese events

Don’t drink too much, but enjoy the beautiful Japanese Sakura!

 

Karen

Japan