1. It’s literally half of the nation getting drunk while sitting under a cherry blossom tree Hanami comes from the Japanese word “flower watching.” It’s a national past-time in Japan during late March and early April, when the cherry blossoms are blooming. Starting about a month before the trees bloom, news sources will typically release an estimated bloom time, so groups can plan their hanami parties. I didn’t think you could actually (and accurately) predict when tree-flowers bloom, but you can, and it’s a big deal. Japanese Cherry Blossoms in Akita, Japan A hanami party is when a group of people gather on a blanket near a blooming sakura blossom tree and, well, watch the flowers as they eat snacks and drink alcoholic beverages. Saying it like that makes it sound lame, but I promise it’s super fun. It’s also super-crowded. Yoyogi Park Hanami back in 2013 2. Somehow, watching flowers on a tree teaches you about the fragility of human life The beauty of the sakura blossoms is fleeting. One week they are in full bloom, the next week the blossoms are shriveled up on the side of the rain gutter. Most of the Japanese people I talk to [...]
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