Hanami parties along the Kamo River.

Hanami (花見, Hanami^? lit. "flower viewing") is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, "flower" in this case almost always meaning cherry blossoms (桜 or 櫻, sakura^?), or ume blossoms (梅, ume^?). From late March to early April (early May in Hokkaidō), sakura bloom all over Japan. The blossom forecast (桜前線, sakurazensen^?, lit. cherry blossom front) is announced each year by the weather bureau, and is watched carefully by those planning hanami as the blossoms only last a week or two. In modern-day Japan, hanami mostly consists of having an outdoor party beneath the sakura during daytime or at night. Hanami at night is called yozakura (lit. "night sakura"). In many places such as Ueno Park temporary paper lanterns are hung for the purpose of yozakura. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 349 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Hanami at the bank of Kamogawa river, Kyoto, Japan 京都市の賀茂川の河原での花見 This foto was taken by the poster, Moja. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1024 × 768 pixel, file size: 349 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Hanami at the bank of Kamogawa river, Kyoto, Japan 京都市の賀茂川の河原での花見 This foto was taken by the poster, Moja. ... The Kamo River and cherry blossoms The Kamo River (鴨川 or 賀茂川 Kamogawa) is a river in Kyoto, Japan. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A Phalaenopsis flower Rudbeckia fulgida A flower, (<Old French flo(u)r<Latin florem<flos), also known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also called angiosperms). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Sakura. ... “Cherry Blossom” redirects here. ... Binomial name Prunus mume Siebold & Zucc. ... March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. ... May is the fifth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... Hokkaidō   (北海道, literal meaning: North Sea Route, Ainu: Mosir), formerly known as Ezo and Yesso, is the second largest island and largest prefecture of Japan. ... People enjoying cherry blossoms Ueno Park (上野公園 Ueno Kōen) is a spacious public park located in the Ueno section of Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan. ... Stone lantern in a Chinese Garden A chōchin invites customers into an okonomiyaki restaurant in Japan A lantern is a portable lighting device used to illuminate broad areas. ...

History

Close up of ume blossoms

The practice of hanami is many centuries old. The custom is said to have started during the Nara Period (710–784) when the Chinese Tang Dynasty influenced Japan in many ways; one of which was the custom of enjoying flowers. Though it was ume blossoms that people admired in the beginning, by the Heian Period, sakura came to attract more attention. From then on, in tanka and haiku, "flowers" meant "sakura." Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 796 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 796 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Nara period ) of the history of Japan covers the years from about AD 710 to 784. ... For the band, see Tang Dynasty (band). ... Binomial name Prunus mume Siebold & Zucc. ... The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article History of Japan#Heian Period. ... See Waka (disambiguation) for other usages. ... Haiku )   is a mode of Japanese poetry, the late 19th century revision by Masaoka Shiki of the older hokku ), the opening verse of a linked verse form, haikai no renga. ...

Hanami was first used as a term analogous to cherry blossom viewing in the Heian era novel Tale of Genji. Whilst a wisteria viewing party was also described, from this point on the terms "hanami" and "flower party" were only used to describe cherry blossom viewing. A novel (from French nouvelle Italian novella, new) is an extended, generally fictional narrative, typically in prose. ... Genji Monogatari (&#28304;&#27663;&#29289;&#35486;), frequently translated as The Tale of Genji, is a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. ... Species See text This article is about the plant. ...

Sakura originally was used to divine that year's harvest as well as an announcer of the rice-planting season. People believed in gods' existence inside the trees and made offerings at the root of sakura trees. Afterwards, they partook of the offering with sake. Crops have been harvested by hand throughout most of human history. ... Species Oryza glaberrima Oryza sativa The planting of rice is often a labour-intensive process Terrace of rice paddies in Yunnan Province, southern China. ... “Megami” redirects here. ... Sake barrels at Itsukushima Shrine. ...

Emperor Saga of the Heian Period adopted this practice, and held flower-viewing parties with sake and feasts underneath the blossoming boughs of sakura trees in the Imperial Court in Kyoto. Poems would be written praising the delicate flowers, which were seen as a metaphor for life itself, luminous and beautiful yet fleeting and ephemeral. This was said to be the origin of hanami in Japan. Emperor Saga (嵯峨天皇, Saga tennō) (786–842) was the 52nd imperial ruler of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. ... Imperial Court in Kyoto was the nominal ruling government of Japan since 794 until the Meiji Era, in which the court was moved to Tokyo and was integrated into the Meiji government. ... Kyoto )   is a city in the central part of the island of HonshÅ«, Japan. ... The Chinese poem Quatrain on Heavenly Mountain by Emperor Gaozong (Song Dynasty) Poetry (from the Greek , poiesis, making or creating) is a form of art in which language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its ostensible meaning. ... For other uses, see Life (disambiguation). ...

Close up of cherry blossoms

The custom was originally limited to the elite of the Imperial Court, but soon spread to samurai society and, by the Edo period, to the common people as well. Tokugawa Yoshimune planted areas of cherry blossom trees to encourage this. Under the sakura trees, people had lunch and drank sake in cheerful feasts. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Japanese samurai in armour, 1860s. ... The following text needs to be harmonized with text in the article History of Japan#Edo Period. ... Tokugawa Yoshimune 1684-1751. ...

Today, the Japanese people continue the tradition of hanami, gathering in great numbers wherever the flowering trees are found. Thousands of people fill the parks to hold feasts under the flowering trees, and sometimes these parties go on until late at night. In more than half of Japan, the cherry blossoming period coincides with the beginning of the scholastic and fiscal years, and so welcoming parties are often opened with hanami. The school year, also academic year, describes the time(s) a student goes to school, college, university etc. ...

The teasing proverb dumplings rather than flowers (花より団子, hana yori dango^?) hints at the real priorities for most cherry blossom viewers. (A punning variation, Boys Over Flowers (花より男子, Hana Yori Dango^?), is the title of a manga and anime series.) It has been suggested that dajare be merged into this article or section. ... Boys Over Flowers (In Japanese known as Hana yori Dango 花より男子) is a Japanese manga series written by Yoko Kamio. ... Manga )   (pl. ... The main cast of the anime Cowboy Bebop (1998) (L to R: Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Ed Tivrusky, Faye Valentine, and Ein the dog) For the oleo-resin, see Animé (oleo-resin). ...

External links

• Hanami in Japan! Information on Hanami and other annual events across Japan.
• Hanami Fun Facts — Japanzine:Field Guide to Japan by Zack Davisson
• Hanami Manners 101 — Japanzine by Emily Millar

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Hanami