The most charming and romantic time to visit Japan is undoubtedly the spring, when cities turn pink and white with cherry blossom. In Japanese there is a special term for the act of admiring these flowers, hanami, which refers to the habit of traditional Japanese to enjoy the beauty of this triumph of nature. The flowers of the cherry trees are instead called sakura.
Over time the Hanami has become a feast: every year, millions of Japanese travel to the cities to admire the flowering, a moment that certainly fascinates visitors. The spectacle of sakura can be contemplated from the beginning of April in the island of Honshu and up to mid-May in the north, in the Hokkaido area.
The Hanami festival
The Hanami festival, besides admiring the cherry blossom, usually includes a rich picnic with sushi, beer and sake, shaded by the blooming trees. The celebrations continue into the night and become Yozakura("the night of the cherry"), particularly impressive because the flowering cherry trees are illuminated. The most famous places to attend this festival are Maruyama Park and Ueno Park in Tokyo, Himeji Castle and Hirosaki Castle, which, surrounded by a vast expanse of cherry trees, is also home to the a special festival from April 23 to May 5.
