Cherry Blossom Viewing [Hanami]
So it's April! Where we live, mid-April is the time for the cherry blossoms to start their blooming, and it sure is a sight to see! Hence, this is the season for hanami, or flower viewing.
Cherry blossoms (sakura) are often seen as the epitome of Japanese aesthetic. And for good reason. At the beginning of April, everything starts turning up cherry blossoms. Companies will change the packaging of their foods and drinks to reflect the season, and special cherry blossom-flavored sweets and drinks become available as well. McDonald's had a run of delicious cherry blossom fizzy drink, as well as a cherry blossom McFlurry, and cherry blossom + shrimp seasoning for the fries (why shrimp? I have no idea). And yes, things like this can have real cherry blossom petals in them (which are edible, as are the leaves). Which is also why companies increase prices for these limited-time treats.
Now before the blossoms are even blooming here, in warmer areas they've already started. Japan basically sees a wave of cherry blossoms, starting in warmer climates in March and then moving on towards the cooler areas in April. Sadly the cherry blossoms don't last for long, so you have to catch them while you can. Usually you can enjoy them in full bloom for about a week, two weeks if you count when the trees are starting to blossom. This year they bloomed a little late because of the cold of the winter, so weather is a major factor when determining when the blossoms bloom in any given area.
That being said, our city had their scheduled Cherry Blossom Festival on the 16th, at which point most, but not all, of the trees were in full bloom. The next day, the trees were much more fully in bloom. But the lack of full trees didn't stop anyone, and the festival was quite busy. There was a live band performing, plenty of food stands, a flea market, and of course, people. As in under every single cherry blossom tree was a family or group of people camped out with blankets, chairs, and some even had grills. It kind of made me think of the celebrations for Independence Day back in America, but instead of celebrating the fireworks that were to come, people were celebrating the explosion of spring (We did not partake in typical hanami celebration as we brought neither tons of alcohol nor a bunch of friends).
Cherry blossoms are, for the most part, carefully planted and used for their aesthetic appeal. Though in our trip to Shibukawa over the weekend, we did see plenty of forested areas with a single random cherry blossom tree proudly displaying its pale blossoms in contrast to the surrounding green. Because of their short blooming time, cherry blossom trees are seen as symbols of the fleeting. It's very common for poems and songs that reference the cherry blossom to be kind of sad, despite the fact that the trees bring so much joy. But in a blink they are gone, such is life. Some of them can bloom a very bright and vibrant pink, but the ones in our city are very pale pink. So rather than pink flowers, the trees look like they're covered with pink-hued clouds, or even snow.
Despite this, it is most definitely spring, and with the rainy season coming around the end of May, it is a fleeting one at that.
Cherry blossoms (sakura) are often seen as the epitome of Japanese aesthetic. And for good reason. At the beginning of April, everything starts turning up cherry blossoms. Companies will change the packaging of their foods and drinks to reflect the season, and special cherry blossom-flavored sweets and drinks become available as well. McDonald's had a run of delicious cherry blossom fizzy drink, as well as a cherry blossom McFlurry, and cherry blossom + shrimp seasoning for the fries (why shrimp? I have no idea). And yes, things like this can have real cherry blossom petals in them (which are edible, as are the leaves). Which is also why companies increase prices for these limited-time treats.
Now before the blossoms are even blooming here, in warmer areas they've already started. Japan basically sees a wave of cherry blossoms, starting in warmer climates in March and then moving on towards the cooler areas in April. Sadly the cherry blossoms don't last for long, so you have to catch them while you can. Usually you can enjoy them in full bloom for about a week, two weeks if you count when the trees are starting to blossom. This year they bloomed a little late because of the cold of the winter, so weather is a major factor when determining when the blossoms bloom in any given area.
That being said, our city had their scheduled Cherry Blossom Festival on the 16th, at which point most, but not all, of the trees were in full bloom. The next day, the trees were much more fully in bloom. But the lack of full trees didn't stop anyone, and the festival was quite busy. There was a live band performing, plenty of food stands, a flea market, and of course, people. As in under every single cherry blossom tree was a family or group of people camped out with blankets, chairs, and some even had grills. It kind of made me think of the celebrations for Independence Day back in America, but instead of celebrating the fireworks that were to come, people were celebrating the explosion of spring (We did not partake in typical hanami celebration as we brought neither tons of alcohol nor a bunch of friends).
Cherry blossoms are, for the most part, carefully planted and used for their aesthetic appeal. Though in our trip to Shibukawa over the weekend, we did see plenty of forested areas with a single random cherry blossom tree proudly displaying its pale blossoms in contrast to the surrounding green. Because of their short blooming time, cherry blossom trees are seen as symbols of the fleeting. It's very common for poems and songs that reference the cherry blossom to be kind of sad, despite the fact that the trees bring so much joy. But in a blink they are gone, such is life. Some of them can bloom a very bright and vibrant pink, but the ones in our city are very pale pink. So rather than pink flowers, the trees look like they're covered with pink-hued clouds, or even snow.
Despite this, it is most definitely spring, and with the rainy season coming around the end of May, it is a fleeting one at that.
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