A friendship that began blossoming 100 years ago…
Those who have attended the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. can attest to the magic of these delicate, pale pink flowers blooming along the Potomac. 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of when Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki first presented U.S. President William Howard Taft with 3,000 cherry trees to celebrate the growing friendship between the two countries. In a simple ceremony on March 27, 1912, First Lady Helen Herron Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, planted the first two trees from Japan on the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park.
Yet nothing quite compares to hanami, or cherry blossom viewing, in Japan. For a few weeks each year, the dark winter skies give way to millions of gracefully fluttering petals welcoming the return of spring. For many, sakura (cherry blossoms) are a symbol of the life cycle itself.
In contrast to the D.C. festivities, hanami is celebrated in hundreds of parks and gardens across Japan. There, families and friends gather together to picnic beneath the pastel blooms or sit down to special tea ceremonies. The Ohanami Bento (cherry blossom viewing bento box) and Sakuramochi, which is pink-colored rice cake wrapped with preserved sakura leaves and filled with anko (sweet bean paste) are often enjoyed at cherry blossom viewing parties. In the evenings, the parks are lit by hundreds of lanterns, adding to the enchantment.
Japan’s cherry trees have been blooming for centuries – the oldest for some 2,000 years – and tended to for generations by dedicated garden masters, dating back to 1832. Today these cherished trees are under the tender care of Mr. Toemon Sano, the 16th Japanese master of gardeners and cherry tree doctor. Born in 1928, Sano helped Japanese sculptor Isamu Noguchi create the UNESCO garden in Paris.
When it comes to the best sakura viewing in his homeland, Sano sings the praises of Maruyama Koen Park in Kyoto. Located next to the famous Yasaka Shrine, the park centers around a towering shidarezakura (weeping cherry tree), which is lit up each night to the delight of hundreds of hanami partygoers. For a pleasant, petal-filled stroll, follow the Philosopher’s Path between Kyoto’s Ginkakuji temple and Nanzenji temple.
In Tokyo, prime early viewing can be had at Ueno Park, where the 1,000 or so trees come into full bloom a few days before other locales such as Shinjuku Gyoen, which has a variety of later-blooming trees. Some of the city’s most dramatic hanami is found at Chidorigafuchi, where hundreds of trees line the moats of the ancient Edo Castle. Rent a boat to soak in all the beauty.
Osaka, 30 minutes by train from Kyoto, also boasts a number of splendid viewing sites, including Osaka Castle with more than 4,000 cherry trees; the lawns in Nishinomaru Park are perfect for a picnic and panorama of the castle tower lit at night.
Unlike a hotel, the ryokan (Japanese Inn) offers exceptionally peaceful and attentive accommodations in a truly beautiful setting. The country’s almost 50,000 ryokan are spacious and immaculate, some often facing onto a beautiful Japanese garden. The atmosphere is calm and gracious; the decor is spare, tasteful and traditional. Normally, the guest room serves as an eating and visiting space, later transformed to a sleeping room with the addition of a futon and coverlets.
Prime cherry blossom viewing takes place in the spring, but Japan has four beautiful seasons to enjoy year around. Ask us to create the perfect Japanese hanami getaway for you.
Time for Tea
For insight into the intricate, highly structured etiquette of Japanese society, you’ll definitely want to attend an authentic tea ceremony. First introduced from China in the 12th century, the tea ritual quickly became an integral part of life in Japan, where it evolved into a veritable art form known as the way of tea, also called sado or chado.
In the 16th-century, Sen-no-Rikyu developed forms of sado, the way of tea. Influenced by Zen Buddhism, the formal ceremony is based upon four elements: wa (harmony), kei (respect), sei (purity) and jaku (tranquility). During the ritual – which can take two to four hours – each movement has specific meaning, and every guest has a particular role to play. You may have a Tea Ceremony experience at some hotels or Tea houses in major cities throughout Japan.
For the perfect brew during sakura viewing season, try Japanese Cherry Tea. This delicate blend of green tea is highlighted with the sweet notes of cherry blossoms.
