They are swooned over during picnics. They are painstakingly painted. They are obsessed over in poems. They are cited as a symbol of the transient nature of life. And they are sprinkled on Starbucks lattes.
Welcome to Japan’s pink and modern world of cherry blossoms. It is impossible to think of springtime Japan without an iconic image of a sea of cherry trees awash with perfect pink blooms instantly coming to mind.
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As well as leading the way in robotics, sushi and skyscraper technology, the Japanese have long been celebrated as global leaders in the art of cherry blossom appreciation. From as early as the eighth century, elite imperial courtiers paused to appreciate the delicate pink cherry blossoms known as sakura before indulging in picnics and poetry sessions beneath the blooms. Fast-forward more than a millennium and the flowers that launched a thousand haiku are no less revered in modern-day Japan.
Today, as spring approaches, the entire nation turns a shade of pink. Months before they arrive, retailers switch into sakura mode – cue supermarkets filled with plastic cherry blossom flowers and cherry blossom-flavoured innovations in convenience stores (this year’s highlights so far include cherry-blossom-and-butter crisps and cherry blossom Pepsi). The countdown excitement is heightened further by the televised Cherry Blossom Forecast which offers a petal-by-petal analysis of the advance of the blooms – known as the cherry blossom front – as they sweep from the south to the north of the archipelago.
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When the blooms actually arrive (as confirmed by teams of meticulous cherry blossom officials), it is time to indulge in one of the nation’s all-time favourite pastimes – hanami, which literally translates as “looking as flowers” and refers to flower appreciation picnics under the blooms.
Every year, a microcosm of society – from salarymen and students to housewives and grannies – takes part in hanami picnics (some civilised, some rowdy) in every corner of the country.
Why so popular?
The nation’s deep-rooted attachment to cherry blossoms goes far beyond buying a pink fizzy drink at 7-Eleven.
The flowers are deeply symbolic: their short-lived existence taps into a long-held appreciation of the beauty of the fleeting nature of life, as echoed across the nation’s cultural heritage, from tea ceremonies to wabi sabi ceramics. The blossoms also, quite literally, symbolise new beginnings, with April 1 being the first day of both the financial and academic year in Japan.
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In a nutshell? The cherry blossoms are not just pretty pink flowers: they are the floral embodiment of Japan’s most deep-rooted cultural and philosophical beliefs.
The sakura front
The nation prides itself on its devotion to the important task of forecasting the exact arrival of the first cherry blossoms. Since 1951, teams of meteorologists have been dispatched to monitor the advance of the cherry blossom front – sakura zensen in Japanese – as they burst into bloom across the country.
"The nation prides itself on its devotion to the important task of forecasting the exact arrival of the first cherry blossoms"
Today, it is a hi-tech affair, with forecasts and scientists undertaking complicated mathematical equations filling television screens in the build-up to their appearance.
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Officials traditionally observe the pale pink blooms of the yoshino cherry tree – Japan’s most common type – with the season declared open when at least five or six flowers have opened on a sample tree in any given area.
The flowers only bloom for around a week before the so-called “sakura snow” effect starts and they float sadly off the trees.
When to visit
Unlike the nation’s famed public transport system, the cherry blossoms are not as punctual as tourists might like. Some years they arrive early following a spell of warm weather; other years, chillier temperatures make them late or downpours bring an early demise.
But the first blossoms generally appear in Okinawa in January and slowly move up the archipelago, passing through Japan’s central islands (including Kyoto and Tokyo) in late March and early April, before progressing further north and hitting Hokkaido in early May.
This year’s cherry blossom forecast from the Japan Weather Association predicts that they will arrive a little earlier than usual. Key dates (which may change nearer the time) include March 26 in Tokyo; March 29 in Kyoto and Hiroshima; and April 9 in northern Sendai.
The best locations
Tokyo
The capital is a good starting point. It may be famed for its concrete and skyscrapers but also excels at maximising its hanami nature spots. There are numerous picnic-friendly locations – in parks and alongside rivers – that have been planted with carefully choreographed clusters of cherry trees in recent centuries, to dramatic effect.
Highlights include Ueno Park, one of Japan’s oldest and most famous public spaces (also home to a string of top museums, shrines and ponds), which attracts epic-sized crowds to admire its 1,000-plus blooming cherry blossoms. A more sedate alternative is Shinjuku Gyoen, a surprisingly serene and beautifully maintained park a short walk from the neon blare of Shinjuku, with 1,500 cherry trees and expanses of lawn (entry costs Y200 for adults, Y50 for children).
Another cult spot is Nakameguro, a creative neighbourhood south of Shibuya, with a cherry-tree-lined canal: perfect for an evening stroll, the trees are lit up with lanterns after dark while the canalside roads bustle with food and drinks stalls.
Meanwhile, the atmospheric eastern neighbourhood Yanaka – all narrow lanes and old wooden houses with tiny restaurants and younger generation craftsmen setting up shop – is worth a visit for its cherry tree-filled cemetery.
Copy from http://www.telegraph.co.uk
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