The cherry blossom (Sakura) is a well-known and ubiquitous symbol of Japan and is frequently depicted on traditional Japanese goods and art. The cherry blossom is particularly important in Japanese culture as it represents the end of the winter and the being of new life and growing season of spring.
Said to have begun in the late 8th century, the flower viewing tradition is widely believed to have started in the Nara Period. The seasonal event was used to welcome in the new year's harvest while marking the beginning of the rice planting season. In the Heian Period, Emperor Saga would welcome this time with celebratory feasts and parties under the sakura trees in Kyoto's Imperial Court. While originally limited to Japanese royalty and the elite upper class, hanami spread to all citizens by the Edo Period in the early 1600s. The custom still lives to this day as visitors from around the globe partake in this traditional event. Since then, the annual custom has drawn visitors to witness the beautiful seasonal changes while pinpointing and celebrating the beginning of the fiscal and scholastic year with friends and family. A typical hanami usually consists of holding an outdoor party under cherry blossom trees during the day or night. Food, beer and sake are brought to a picnic as visitors bask in the cherry blossoms that fall from the tree. These parties last well into the night as the moon illuminates the pink blossoms.
No matter where your travel arrangements lead you, a visit to any number of cherry blossom festivals in Japan is guaranteed to be a joyful occasion that pinpoints the cleansing of the mind and new beginnings. To find a list of Japanese cities famous for their cherry blossoms, please visit: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/interests/cherry.html
Source: www.japantravelinfo.com / www.gojapango.com / Google images
Cherry Blossoms in Tokyo - Ueno Park
Magic Sakura Tree
N.B. Children should not browse sites unsupervised
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