Spring season is probably the best time to visit Japan. As the weather is perfect – warm, but not nearly as hot as summer, and everybody is in a party frame of mind. The advent of the blossoms not only heralds the end of a harsh winter but also the beginning of another school year and a new fiscal year for businesses. Spring is a very busy period – accounts have to be finalized, reports finished, and karoshi (death by overwork) is said to peak in March. Deadlines, school graduation ceremonies, government transfers – and then, in April, come the cherry blossoms like a breath of fresh air. This marks the nation’s change of focus from hard working to hard playing. Impressive quantities of saké are drunk, food is barbequed and songs are sung. The fleeting beauty of the cherry blossoms is symbolic to the Japanese. They liken the petals to the life of the samurai – a brief explosion of colour, bright for the duration of their short life, before they wither and die. They represent the brevity of life and the frailty of existence, and this is celebrated by getting roaring drunk on copious amounts of sake.
Revellers take along food, host a barbeque or buy food from stalls that line the paths. One popular snack is dango, a chewy treat made from rice flour. Another is Sakura Mochi, red kidney-bean paste wrapped in a salt-preserved cherry blossom leaf. Families and workmates gather under the tees. They sing, drink, eat and talk until late in the evening, when lanterns light the parks and couples step out.
The best tradition enjoyed in spring time is that of viewing the Cherry blossoms, or the Hanami. Cherry blossoms or Sakura, have captured the imagination of the Japanese and appear frequently in everyday life. There is a Sakura Bank, and when naming a child, the Japanese often incorporate the character for Sakura in the name. The word itself even serves as a not-uncommon girl’s name. The cherry tree motif graces the back of 100 yen coins, and the first song many Japanese children learn is called “Sakura, Sakura”. Hanami now has huge commercial appeal. In mid-March an abundance of themed chocolate, beer and clothing hits the shops. You would be lucky to find a product that has not re-branded itself for the fleeting period. All the shops turn pink.
In popular areas renowned for their displays, things have been known to get a little competitive. Some groups send out scouts ahead of the party to secure the best spots in the best parks, in much the same way as people reserve the best sun loungers by a hotel pool. Thus, visiting Japan in March or April, and trying to find out the best places to go for a Hanami party or just sit back and relax, while you are there – it’s definitely worth it.
Photo: Trip Advisor