Cherry blossom season lures thousands of visitors to Japan each spring, but Helen Raine explains there’s still time to catch this beautiful phenomenon.
Every year in Japan, a phenomenon sweeps the country. Cherry blossoms explode out of the long, cold winter in every shade between white, pink and crimson.
As early as January, the blossoms go bonkers in southern Okinawa and the spectacle gradually pans north, finishing by mid-May in Sapporo.
Sakura, as the blossoms are known, are important in Japanese culture
If you want to see them, you’ll need planning and a little luck.
Being in the right place at the right time is not as easy as it sounds; the blossoms keep their own schedule and might stubbornly refuse to bloom during your carefully booked trip or have burnt themselves out in a profusion of pastel glory before you arrive.
Forecasters provide round-the-clock updates on the buds’ status and where to see blossoms appear.
This is one destination where a last-minute booking might serve you well. Sakura, as the blossoms are known, are important in Japanese culture. They are the national flower and hanami is the custom of viewing them. The practice is believed to originate from the eighth century and used to signal the time to plant rice, a welcome first sign of an escape from winter.
A classic hanami today would involve an outdoor party under the cherry trees, perhaps a picnic or barbecue with a few glasses of sake.
With a full moon lighting up the trees, the party could go on all night. In parks where space is at a premium, there’s even a custom, called bashotori, of staking out a picnic blanket and leaving a message on it: “Yuki and friends will be here from 4pm to 10pm. Please feel free to use at other times” might be typical (bashotori is banned in some parks).
If you’re out of picnic blankets and stakes, you could always try and crash someone else’s bashotori and make some new friends.
Where to go
It’s possible to view the blossoms all over Japan, but if you’re looking for the pinnacle of prettiness, Yoshino is the best bet.
It has more than 30,000 cherry trees alongside the ancient temples and shrines around Mount Yoshino, a World Heritage Site. From the open area of Gorobei-chaya there’s a 360° view of blossoms, blossoms and well, more blossoms. The stunning setting really does enhance the beauty of the flowers
It’s possible to ‘ski ’n’ see’ at Yuzawamachi, home to the Kagura Ski Resort, one of the largest in Japan.
Just 20 minutes from here is the Yuzawa Chuo Park, which has 400 trees that flower from mid-April to early May, against the backdrop of snowy mountains. On April 29, a festival celebrates the spectacle.
There are plenty of larger festivals held throughout Japan. Hirosaki stages a particularly good one called the Sakura Matsuri.
The castle there is full of cherry trees that radiate out along the moat in the nearby park. At night, the petals are illuminated, giving a ghostly, atmospheric feeling once you get away from the crowds. This year, it runs from April 23 to May 6.
Kyoto has an extended viewing season, which starts in Maruyama Park, famous for having large, weeping cherry trees.
As the blossoms fall, other trees begin to bloom further up the hillside. Take the Philosopher’s Path along the river passage from Lake Biwa, where petals float on the water as if scattered by a nymph.
Kyoto is stuffed with Zen gardens and bamboo groves at the best of times, so this is an opportunity to soak up the extra tranquillity.
In Tokyo, blossom lovers can visit Ueno or the Yoyogi Park to get a fix. The different shades are particularly spectacular, ranging from a light blush to a deep red. Inhale deeply. The air will be lightly perfumed.
Take a selfie (everyone else will), then admire hard-core photographers jostling for a perfect position.
Big business is also in on the act from the Asakusa Hanayashiki amusement park, which offers roller coasters with its cherry trees, to McDonalds, which this year rolled out the ‘cherry blossom burger’. It comes with a (sickeningly) pink bun that is faintly reminiscent of sunburnt flesh.
No sale? Perhaps you’d prefer a putridly pink Sakura Frappuccino from Starbucks?
Slick marketing aside, there’s a deep philosophy surrounding sakura in Japan. The delicate petals are a reminder of the fragility of life.
It’s a time to sit under a perfectly pink tree, and equate its bloom and wither with the circle of life. The process speaks to the Japanese of beginnings as well as endings and fosters a sense of carpe diem.
If you want to seize the day yourself and enjoy the blossoms while they last, a return flight to Japan in April on Emirates currently costs around €935 return.