Ohanami (お花見) is a famous Japanese custom and literally means “flower viewing.” It is a term used to describe the very short period of time, only about a week or two, during which the Japanese can enjoy the beauty of the blooming cherry blossoms. Ohanami is an ancient custom believed to have started during the Nara Period (710-794), but today ohanami generally consists of an outdoor gathering or party beneath the cherry blossom trees, usually in a public park such as Ueno Park.
Although it is a peaceful and happy occasion, ohanami can also be considered bittersweet due to the fact that the beauty of the cherry blossoms fades so quickly. For this reason, cherry blossoms can be very symbolic in Japanese culture, and are representative of the Japanese aesthetic concept of mono no aware: the deep feeling that Japanese people tend to have for tragically short-lived things.
But with that said, the Japanese can take ohanami very seriously, and most of the best spots for viewing the cherry blossoms are taken in the early hours of the morning. Make sure you wake up early if you decide you’d like to take part so you can reserve your own spot!
Ohanami is going on in Japan right now. Special thanks to JSA’s Senior Advisor Fukashi Iiyama for taking these pictures!
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