Hanami

It’s officially cherry blossom season, and that calls for hanami. Hanami (花見) is the tradition of viewing the cherry blossoms in bloom, appreciating their transient beauty.

As I share in my book, Omoiyari, it’s a time for celebration, and a time where you might have a picnic in the park - any excuse for good food and sake! It’s an event that needs to be celebrated without hesitation or delay - the display is all the more beautiful because of its brevity.

In my first book, Japonisme, I wrote about hanakotoba, or ‘the language of flowers’ in my chapter about Ikebana, the art of flower arranging. Different flowers symbolise different feelings or emotions, and so a bouquet given as a gift should always be given with thought to the feelings you are trying to convey.

Sakura, or cherry blossom, is symbolic of the fleeting, transient nature of life, and a reminder to appreciate beautiful things. It’s a sign of spring, but in hanakotoba it represents a pure and gentle heart.

If you’re in the UK, the National Trust have a Blossom map, allowing you to track the blooms, so you can partake in hanami, too.