Hanami — What This Tradition Is and How It Goes
Hanami (花見) — 'flower viewing': a picnic under blooming cherry trees, not quiet contemplation. The group spreads a tarp in the park, eats, drinks, and talks while the petals stay on the branches — usually about a week. The season moves from south to north: late March in Tokyo, May in Hokkaido.
It seems like Japanese people come to admire the flowers. In reality, they spend most of the time sitting with their backs to the tree and talking — and that is also hanami.
What is hanami and when is it held
Hanami is the custom of going out under blooming trees in a group: with food, drinks, and conversation. Formally it's flower viewing, practically it's a feast on a groundsheet. The occasion is given by the short bloom: cherry blossoms last about a week and fall at their peak, so the date fluctuates and is decided at the last moment.
- When: the second half of March in Kyushu, late March to early April in Tokyo and Kyoto, May in Hokkaido.
- Who: colleagues, classmates, families. Corporate hanami is an obligation, not a rest.
- Where: parks, riverbanks, castles, and temples — where cherry trees were planted specifically.
- What to bring: bento, sweets, drinks, a groundsheet.
First they admired the plum
At first, they admired not the cherry but the plum (ume) — the taste came with Chinese poetry. By the Heian period, the cherry became the main tree, and 'flower' in poems meant it. Under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, hanami became a spectacle for thousands of guests, and it was made urban by the shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune: in the 18th century, he planted cherry trees along the banks of the Sumida River and on Asukayama Hill, where everyone was allowed.
How hanami goes: step by step
- Check the forecast: weather services maintain a map of the cherry blossom front moving from south to north, and the Meteorological Agency announces the start of blooming (kaika) based on benchmark trees.
- Choose a park and time. On weekends at the peak, spots run out by morning.
- Reserve a spot — bashotori: someone arrives early with a blue tarp; in companies, it's the junior employee.
- Take off your shoes before stepping onto the tarp: it serves as the floor of a house.
- Lay out the food, say 'kanpai,' and start. Looking at the tree is optional.
- Clean up everything, including the tarp: trash bins overflow on the very first day.
What gets you a scolding in the park
- Shaking the trunk and breaking branches for a photo — you'll get a verbal reprimand, which is already a lot for a Japanese park.
- Reserving extra space: in popular parks, space is limited and marked.
- Bringing alcohol and a grill where they are prohibited: rules are posted at the entrance.
- Leaving trash by an overflowing bin. If it doesn't fit, take it with you.
Words and characters: 花見
| Japanese | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 花見 | hanami · hanami | Flower viewing (more polite — お花見, o-hanami) |
| 満開 | mankai · mankai | Full bloom (peak of the season) |
| 宴会 | enkai · enkai | Feast (which is what hanami actually is) |
| 場所取り | bashotori · bashotori | Reserving a spot in advance |
| 花より団子 | hana yori dango · hana yori dango | Dango over flowers (a saying about those who came to eat) |
花見 — to view flowers, the word 'sakura' is not in it
花見 — two characters: 花 'flower' and 見 'to see'. Sakura is not in the word; it is implied. For the plum, there is its own word — 梅見 (umemi), a February and quieter custom.
見 — значение: to see, to look, view, opinion — онъёми: ケン — кунъёми: み.る、み.える、み.せる — 7 штрих(ов). 見 — 'to see': an eye 目 on top, legs 儿 below. The same character in 見る 'to see' and 意見 'opinion'.
Listen to the words hanami and repeat — the app will evaluate your pronunciation.
Hanami in anime: how to recognize the scene
A hanami episode exists in almost every school anime. You recognize it by details, not by the sakura.
- A blue tarp and shoes removed at the edge — it's hanami, not a walk.
- A character freezing alone in the park since morning — they were sent to hold the spot.
- Paper lanterns along the alley — evening yozakura, a scene for a private conversation.
- Makoto Shinkai's '5 Centimeters per Second' is named after a phrase about the speed of a falling sakura petal.
FAQ
- What is hanami?
- The custom of going out in a group under blooming trees — with food and conversation. It is written 花見: 'flower' plus 'to see'. In practice, it's a feast on a groundsheet, not silent contemplation.
- When is hanami held?
- During the cherry blossom season, which moves from south to north: the second half of March in Kyushu, late March to early April in Tokyo and Kyoto, May in Hokkaido. It lasts about a week.
- How does hanami go?
- The group reserves a spot in advance and lays out a tarp, brings bento and drinks, takes off shoes at the edge of the groundsheet, and spends several hours eating. In the evening, they stay for the illuminated cherry blossoms.
- How do you write 'hanami' in Japanese?
- 花見, in kana はなみ. The first character 花 is 'flower', the second 見 is 'to see'. The polite form is お花見. The word 'sakura' is not in the name; it is implied.
- Do you need permission to have a hanami?
- No, in a public park hanami is open to everyone: a groundsheet and food are enough. Check the rules at the entrance — alcohol and grills are prohibited in some places, and trash is taken with you.
- Does hanami only happen under sakura?
- No. Plum viewing is 梅見 (umemi), in February, quieter and less crowded. In autumn, they similarly view maples: 紅葉狩り (momijigari).
Sources
Updated: 2026-08-24