Kobayashi Issa, a Japanese poet, once said, “What a strange thing to be alive beneath cherry blossoms.” ‘Hanami‘ is a wonderful Japanese tradition where people gather to appreciate the beauty of Cherry Blossoms, commonly known as sakura. At present, Hanami is a social event where families, friends, and colleagues come together to enjoy the beauty of the season. Let’s take a deep look at this beautiful tradition of Japanese culture known as “Hanami.”
- What is Hanami?
Hanami is a Japanese tradition of watching and enjoying the beauty of flowers, especially cherry blossoms. It is basically a gathering with friends and family, and relishing the beauty of Japanese cherry blossoms. At present, Hanami mostly consists of outdoor picnics arranged beneath the sakura during the daytime or at night.
- History of Hanami
Hanami means “looking at flowers,” but is synonymous with “cherry blossom viewing.” The custom of picnicking under cherry blossoms, called hanami in Japanese, is a very old tradition in Japan. Basically, it is initiated by the influence of the Chinese tradition of viewing and admiring plum blossoms. It was started during the Nara Period (710-794). At the beginning, it was just an occasion to relish the beauty and the change of nature. Eventually, with the growing time it has now become an event to enjoy the soft, rosy beauty that nature offers,s along with the chance to unwind and socialize.
- The Beauty of Hanami
There is a very popular saying regarding Hanami among the Japanese, which is “The beauty of cherry blossoms is not in their duration but in their fleeting existence.” When cherry blossoms blanket Japan in a phenomenal hue, a perpetual tradition unfolds under their delicate boughs.
The familiar scenes during cherry blossoms are of families, friends, and tourists, all relishing the sakura’s fleeting bloom, in parks and along riverbanks, where joy, laughter and music mingle with the mauvish beauty of cherry blossoms.
- Timing and Tourism
Typically, the season for cherry blossoms in Japan is from late March to early May. But the exact timing depends on the location and the type of flower.
Hanami, the tradition of enjoying the beauty of cherry blossoms (sakura) along with picnics with friends or family, attracts tourists from all over the world. The soft pink flower, gentle breeze, and ambience are worth a watch.
- Importance in Japanese Culture
Hanami is a deeply ingrained part of Japanese culture. It symbolizes rebirth, the beauty of impermanence, and the beauty of admiring the present moment. More than just picnics under blossoming trees, Hanami represents a profound appreciation for the transient beauty of nature.
Hanami is also a prominent theme in Japanese literature. It’s a frequent topic for many Japanese poems, novel,s and other literary forms to describe the beauty of spring, nature’s way of beautifying itself. In Japanese literature, cherry blossoms are a powerful metaphor to describe the human condition, often representing both joy and sorrow, life and death.
- Economic Impact
Currently, Japan has the fourth-largest economy in the world. The sakura season, when cherry blossoms across Japan are in full bloom, is one of the most anticipated events that is celebrated with joy and festivity all over the country. Many tourists plan to visit Japan only during the season of Sakura to enjoy its beauty. Because of the tourist attraction, the Sakura season is also rocket fuel for the economy of Japan.
So, if your next dream tourist destination is Japan, then you must visit during the season of cherry blossoms to delight in nature’s pink-rosy beauty. Also, it will hopefully encourage you to view life from a different perspective and will be your reminder to enjoy the present moment.
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Writer,
Areeba Ibnat Mamun
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE