Hanami

The hanami (blossom viewing) season in Japan is short but sweet. It has been brewing for weeks though, with the parks, gardens and open spaces around Tokyo starting to be adorned with food stalls, lanterns proclaiming the cherry blossom festival (sakura matsuri), portaloos and giant bins to cope with the influx of people. I knew it was a big deal but I hadn’t quite realised how big until I saw these preparations. Incidentally, the various sakura matsuri taking place also bring out some pretty awesome costumes as people compete with the flowers...

In Ueno Park. I want goldfish bowl earrings!

An amazing sakura-themed bodystocking
in Shinjuku Gyoen

My hanami started early this year with the arrival of some friends from London towards the end of March. Determined to see some blossom we trawled the parks and gardens and found a few early bloomers in Yoyogi, Shinjuku Gyoen and Ueno. These hardy ume and kanzakura trees had braved the still chilly wind to give us a taste of things to come. Although apparently not considered to be the most beautiful examples of blossom, they are nonetheless very pretty and provided a nice backdrop for our picnic lunches.

An early blooming cherry tree with a gaggle of photographers

Shinjuku Gyoen's trees come out earlier than elsewhere

Tokyo International Forum had a fantastic display outside

The ume blossom in Yoyogi also came out early

My friends left to head south to Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka where, from the sounds of things, they continued to encounter more blossom. I remained in the ever-warming north (well, in Tokyo anyway) and greeted another friend, who I proceeded to drag around the same parks and gardens to see whether there was any difference one week on. There was as it turned out – there was generally a bit more of everything, including magnolias, hawthorny stuff, camellias and oil-seed rape. Spring was definitely creeping up on us.

A trio of camellias in Hama-Rikyu Gardens

'Alien Tree' - hawthorny-type stuff

Many-toned blossom in Shinjuku Gyoen

Unfortunately spring was not creeping up at the same pace everywhere. Simon and I were invited by his company to a hanami party on a boat in Yokohama Bay one evening last week. After peering into the darkness for a while it was ascertained that the sakura on the trees we had come to see in full bloom, lit up in its night-time splendour, had not in fact thought it warm enough to come out yet. We all decided therefore to get on with the serious business of eating the delicious (sakura themed) bento boxes and tempura provided, drinking a lot of Asahi and listening to Simon’s colleagues’ masterful turns on the karaoke machine.

Toishi-san and I enjoying the evening, despite the dearth of sakura

Our table on the boat - check out the proliferation of food!

After a slow and slightly late start to the season, weather and blossom forecasts were proclaiming that the weekend of 7th and 8th April would be the time for hanami parties. My Japanese friends began to make preparations for their parties so I did the same. I was hoping the weekend would be as good as promised as I had scheduled a picnic for the Saturday to mark the arrival of my Dad and step-Mum in Tokyo, and the visit of some more friends. Being English I’m more than used to summer BBQs being called off, or finished off in the oven while soggy guests squeeze into the kitchen drinking Pimm’s and pretending that the downpour outside is a tropical storm…but a blossom viewing party from inside a high-rise apartment? That would never do. Fortunately it didn’t have to as Saturday turned out to be sunny and warm. We joined the throngs of other people taking advantage of the weather and headed to Shinjuku Gyoen where I spread my newly acquired leisure sheet on the grass by an avenue of cherry trees and we all tucked into our onigiri, rice crackers and edamame while taking furtive sips from the water bottle into which I’d poured sake. The garden has a no alcohol policy so we watched many people in the queue decanting their booze into less obvious containers. We never did find out what happened to the guy who was cradling a whole box of Asahi beer…!

Our very own hanami picnic in Shinjuku Gyoen

More hanami followed the next day as we walked around Chidorigafuchi, at the north end of the Imperial Palace grounds. Here there are huge, candyfloss-like sakura trees, whose branches stretch right down to the moat. It was breathtaking. The Indian Embassy had embraced the party atmosphere, throwing its gates open and providing food and beer stalls and music so we sat in the sunshine among the crowds and soaked it all up.

Perfect blossoms in front of the Imperial Palace moat

Giant candyfloss trees

Serenity right in the middle of the city

The rest of the week continued to be all about the sakura, with our travels taking in Rikugi-en, Hama-Rikyu, Sumida Park, Ueno Park, Yoyogi Park, Yanaka and the waterfront in Yokohama (where I’ve now seen the trees that hadn’t blossomed last week!). Yokohama was preparing for a big horticultural festival over the weekend so in addition to the sakura there were the most magnificent beds of tulips and mixed borders that had all come out in the sunshine. Everywhere there have been flowers there have been people with picnic mats, food and drink. The atmosphere has been that of a giant party zone, a hub of community spirit and outdoorsy-type fun. Truly wonderful.

The famous shidare zakura (weeping cherry tree) in Rikugi-en

Lining the Sumida River at Asakusa

Stunning tulips in Yokohama

Breathtaking

As I write this it’s actually chucking it down with rain outside, which makes a bit of a difference from the rest of the week. However tomorrow is set to be sunny again so we’re off to have a last look before the wind blows all the blossoms down. This in itself is a beautiful experience – it’s like being in a snow storm that’s neither cold nor wet.  The sakura season is definitely almost over but it’s been fantastic and at last I’ve been able to see what all the fuss is about. It’s brilliant to have been able to experience such an important event in the Japanese calendar, to have seen Tokyo with its party outfit on, and to have joined in the fun in the fantastic weather. I’ll be back to do it again!

またね!