There are many traditions surrounding sakura season; for example, banks give out complimentary pink boxes of tissues because so many people are allergic to the blossoms. A much better observance of the sakura arrival, in my opinion, is
hanami. As far as I can tell, “hanami” translates as: going to sit on a tarp in a park, gaze at the cherry blossoms with family and friends, eat, and drink sake (or whatever you prefer), while basking in the sweetness of springtime. Everyone does this. The parks are patchworks of blue and green tarps, bags and coolers of treats, and perhaps a few wanderers who’ve over-imbibed…though overall it is a pretty low-key, family-friendly mass picnic.
I went to a little hanami party on a mid-April Sunday, an absolutely beautiful day, at the Nihondaira park in Shimizu. We picnicked, wore bunny ears, played guitars, tossed the Frisbee, got a little sunburned…and Mark accidentally bought non-alcoholic beer, which was pretty funny.
I may have eaten a few sakura petals...they were blowing from the trees onto our food and beverages :)
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