Hanami in Japan---Why we can't stop talking about it

Kitanomaru Park--It is possible to enjoy an afternoon of boating while watching the sakura flowers

A casual hanami with friends in Nakameguro, Tokyo (Picture taken with my camera by Megu Nakano)

          Hanami was one of my favorite experiences in Japan so far. Hanami itself means flower viewing in Japanese. The season when sakura, or cherry blossoms, blooms is the reason for hanami. Japanese enjoy sitting under or around the beautiful pink trees and eating, drinking, and chatting for several hours. Occasionally they play games or have a little karaoke session. The season for hanami occurs at different times across Japan but from the end of March to about the first week of April, hanami season was in full swing in Tokyo this year (2016). Ever since seeing different hanami parties on youtube and other social media I had always wanted to attend a hanami. I got my fair share of them this season and it is safe to say that I got one step closer to appreciating the flowers just as a seasoned hanami-goer will appreciate them.

          Appreciation. That is the main reason for the hanami parties. Appreciating the effemeral beauty of the sakura. Although this is probably, most certainly, a cliché, the first time that I saw the sakura in full bloom, I felt my eyes getting teary. I couldn’t say anything because the words “they’re beautiful” or “gorgeous” were too simple for the feelings I felt when seeing the sakura flowers. The sakura is a national symbol of Japan. And anyone seeing sakura for the first time can understand the pride that Japanese people have for these impressionable flora. That is why Japan and foreigners alike are unable to stop mentioning sakura. Whether it be in haiku (Japanese three lined poetry about nature) or music including the famous folk song simply titled “Sakura”, Japan is reminding us of their pride and spirit. The spirit of “new life” and men who do not fear death (Rolfes) as well as a symbol for hope especially in a nation that is plagued by so many natural disasters. The sakura is a renewal and I am pleased to have been able to sit underneath something that inspires Japan.

Rolfes, Ellen. "For Hundreds of Years, Cherry Blossoms Are Matter of Life and Death." PBS. PBS, 12 Apr. 2013. Web. 28 June 2016.