Charming Cherry Blossom Season in Japan

Couldn’t wait until April, I visited “Land of the Rising Sun” in March to see Blooming Springtime, cherry blossom season in Japan. Nothing less than magical. I was astonished by the new majestic Japan covered totally with white-pink flowers and pure blue sky. Luckily, I knew a little bit Japanese so it wasn’t difficult to interact with locals and got to know some special things about this traditional festival that I will share you now.

From late March to mid-April, the country’s iconic “sakura” (cherry blossom) capture the attentions of visitors from both near and far and looks like a beautiful pink flower carpet covering the country in soft, colorful splendor. I was in the capital of Okinawa, Naha Sakura Matsuri which the first place to admire cherry blossoms blooming and have been drawn to enchanting cherry blossom festival (Sakura Hanami). I couldn’t pull my eyes away from my camera. How alluring it was. Walking through a long tunnel of rosy hue of blooming sakura in picturesque vista, I was awash in the dream-like heaven Japan. The trees with blossoms of more than five petals named "yaezakura," are seen obliviously here in Okinawa, transformed the whole city into a pink mist. The festival is the symbol of the end of harsh winter, it’s also time for Japanese to go outside and celebrate the new powerful spirit of lifetime. So, the slender pink sakura pregnant with martial appearance of Japanese people became more bewitching in the eyes of travelers. Philosophically speaking, cherry blossoms are a metaphor for the fleeting nature of life and renewal. Japanese young women in their sakura-patterned kimonos with the huge torches and rows of gaily colored lanterns left me an incredible impression in cherry blossom season in Japan. Joining tea ceremonies held under cherry trees instead of a tea house must be my extraordinary unforgettable memory as well.  

I met a group of teenagers in Okinawa, asked them about sakura, especially the long-lasting history of Sakura Hanami. Like the imposing Fuji Mount. , a typical symbol of Japan, traditional cherry blossoms festival said to have begun in the late 8^th century, they told me proudly.  They added that this much-loved flower viewing was used to celebrate in the New Year’s harvest while making the beginning of the rice planting season. I have never known it before. Then, they invited me to join the night party with them. And I couldn’t refuse their great invitation. Indulgent foods, lively music shows as well as hospitable people, all of them made Hanami perfectly in my mind. Sometimes, it was romantic when rosy elegant petals slightly fell like gentle rains into my shoulders. Picked it up and gazed at these delicate fragrance while enjoying a cup of tea, I was out of the bustle and hustle life. Without gaudy color, I loved sakura by its simplicity and purity.

There are more and more occasions for viewing the sakura today. Thus, such observation, however, is not simple to enjoy the beauty of flowers but also involves local foods in picnic lunches or night parties under the trees. Bento, kamaboko and warabi, the traditional cuisine that I tasted, truly enable you visitors no longer leave the transient beauty of the cherry blossom in the tropical islands of Okinawa, Japan. No surprising, festival vendors sell various food and souvenirs in the main sidewalks, especially regional crafts as well as special cuisines. Sitting in a boat to soak into the immense sakura pathways or go for a stroll to contemplate the ancient temples behind the pink cherry blossoms must be an extravaganza time in my fabulous vacation. But having not enough time to visit many different destinations was my most regretful thing when coming to Japan.

That said timing a trip for optimal view may be very tricky, from late March to early April. Adding their charming, most blossoms were only on show for a week or shorter, depending mainly on the weather. So if you are on the verge of discovering the beauty of the “Land of Rising Sun”, cherry blossom season in Japan is a gorgeous time that you shouldn’t miss.