Cherry Blossoms (sakura)
Hanami Season

(Click small image for larger view.)

The first hanami took place in the seventh century. The coming harvest was forecasted from the condition of the cherry blossoms. The full blooms were symbolic of a full and bountiful harvest of rice, which the upper classes would celebrate by drinking and eating under the trees.

The cherry blossom trees all over Japan come in to bloom for between seven and 10 days and people hold outdoor parties to view them.

The fleeting beauty of the cherry blossoms is symbolic to the Japanese.They represent the brevity of life and the frailty of existence.

Viewers take along food, host a barbeque or buy food from stalls that line the paths.

View varieties of cherry blossoms with descriptions of each variety.
You will appreciate the many, many kinds.