What is Hanami?

This beautiful Japanese custom, which literally means “flower viewing,” dates back 1,300 years, when plum trees were brought to Japan from China during the Nara period (710-794). During the Heian period (794-1185), wild cherry trees were planted in the capital and little by little the aristocracy began to celebrate banquets under the flowering trees. During the Edo period (1603-1868), the Shogun ordered cherry trees to be planted throughout the capital and made an effort to spread the tradition of observing them during their bloom.

Another theory of how this custom arose tells us that farmers celebrated the welcome of the gods of the countryside in this way and in it they predicted the next harvest.

Currently there are cherry trees (called Sakura) all over Japan and the Hanami is highly anticipated by its population and by thousands of tourists who gather during the flowering season, which can go from February to early May, and there are even organizations in charge of monitoring and reporting the blooms ( https://sakura.weathermap.jp/en.php ) that normally begin in the Okinawa region and the last ones occur in the Hokkaido region.

During this time, small picnics are held with family and friends and there are even companies that organize a party for their employees to eat and drink while enjoying the flowers.

There are even spring-inspired dishes that use sakura blossoms as ingredients, such as mochi (rice cake) or hanami dango (rice flour dumplings), and of course there is tea (usually matcha) and sake.

So I invite you to celebrate Hanami in our country by observing the beautiful Jacarandas that paint several of our Mexican cities purple while drinking a delicious cup of the Euro tea flavor of your choice. I recommend the new Hanami flavor so you can paint your day pink and purple!