Pink

22.  Cherry blossom

 

You know what time of year it is when the beer cans turn pink, and train stations are covered with pictures of flowers and markets are decorated with pink flowers – hanami season.

Hanami season in March and April is, for many Japanese, the best time of year. This is when 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 name says it all - hana means "flower" and mi is "to look".

 

This is a great time of year to visit Japan as the weather is perfect – warm, but not nearly as hot as summer, and everybody is in a party frame of mind. I was lucky to be there during this time of the year.

The advent of the blossoms not only heralds the end of a harsh winter but also the beginning of another school year and a new fiscal year for businesses, so hanami is like a party to celebrate a new beginning. I have heard that there are groups of people who follow this cherry blossom season from south of Japan to all the way north.