As Japan’s sakura trees begin to bloom, the petals are not the only thing that is seen on the ground of parks around Japan. Spread across the green spaces are hundreds and thousands of residents and tourists alike who come to eat, drink and be merry under the cherry blossoms. This is called having a hanami party! Hanami parties have been part of the sakura celebrations for hundreds of years. Even if you are a visitor to the city, having your own hanami is a great way to take in the sights and relax a bit, something all travellers need to remind themselves to do.
When we arrived in Japan in the hope of seeing the cherry blossoms, the first morning, we awoke and saw that it was 3 am. My heart was fluttering in anticipation of seeing the blooms. I had read they had sprouted much earlier than expected and was worried I missed them altogether. As soon as the sun rose, I sprinted out of bed, and we headed outside to see the city in the daylight (as we had arrived when it was already dark). I was thrilled to spot a small blooming tree in the corner park beside our hotel with those iconic pink petals. By seeing a few of these trees I knew the chances of seeing more in the park was pretty high!
We headed over to the nearest Daiso to stock up on picnicking essentials and then to the konbini for some food. When we arrived at the park, we collapsed on the ground from jetlag, but what a place to recover! I cannot recommend having a hanami party more, whether it’s just you with a few friends, with your partner or even only by yourself. It’s a beautiful way to introduce yourself to the natural beauty of Japan.
The word “hanami” is made from the word “hana,” which means flower, and “mi,” which means to watch or view. So literally, it translates to ‘flower watching’ parties.
There are so many wonderful spots around Japan to have a hanami. Most tourists will find themselves in Tokyo as it is the most popular tourist destination. Check out my post all about the best cities across Japan to see the cherry blossoms if you are looking for other spots to visit.
There are dozens of parks around Tokyo to have a hanami, but in my opinion, the very best one is Shinjuku Gyoen. This park is enormous! Sakura season is one of the busiest times to come to Japan, for both tourists and Japanese travellers, so often the parks get PACKED! Yoyogi Park and Ueno Park are probably the most popular, but with popularity comes HUGE crowds.
While Shinjuku Gyoen is still a favourite place to be, the park’s sheer size means there is plenty of room to spread out. So it never feels too crowded. The park does require an admission fee which costs 200 yen. But since you pay to get inside, this automatically cuts down on the number of visitors. And the trees here are spectacular. Shinjuku Gyoen was initially the Naitō family’s residence in the Edo period. They created this fantastic natural landscaping which included a variety of Japanese cherry blossom trees.
One of the critical elements of the hanami is your picnic blanket. Most people coming to Japan won’t have brought this along with them. And I wouldn’t advise you do it even if you know you’ll be having a hanami. Blankets take up a lot of room in your suitcase, and when you arrive in Japan, there are tons of stores where you can get a picnic blanket for cheap. Head over to your local Daiso or 100 Yen shop to get a large picnic blanket. But even more popular than blankets are blue tarps which people use to place on the ground. The reason tarps are so perfect is if the ground is a bit wet they will still keep you dry!
The other thing you NEED to have a great hanami is food and drink! There is no need for a kitchen to pack your picnic. Just head over to your local grocery store or konbini and stock up on various food items. Here is my list of the best things to bring to your picnic!
I would highly recommend grabbing as many sakura-flavoured things as possible to complement the surroundings. There are dozens of different items to choose from so just pick what catches your fancy. Even if you don’t know what it is. Eating new and surprising foods is what travelling is all about!
Bento boxes are another item to pick up as they are like an entire meal, all pre-packed for you. Perfect for a picnic! Sometimes they even have a special sakura bento. These contain pink rice balls flavoured with sakura petals.
Grab yourself both some warm and cold drinks to enjoy—the warmer drinks, like a canned coffee, are great to wake up and warm up with. But the cold beverages as there to enjoy as the sun rises and you want to cool down. Konbinis have literally hundreds of different drinks to choose from so I would advise grabbing a few things you’ve never seen before. That makes the hanami all the more enjoyable as you enjoy tasting these new items.
Another item perfect for your picnic are onigiri. Onigiri are rice balls which contain fillings like salmon, tuna mayo and even pickled sakura. These are easy to pack and don’t require any utensils to eat!
I would highly recommend bringing some karaage with you. Karaage or Japanese fried chicken is one of the most delicious items you can find in a konbini. It also can be quickly eaten without any utensils and is nice and warm for cold mornings.
If you think it might be super chilly out when you arrive at the park, I will load up on oden at the konbini. Oden is a dashi soup stock that you can add your own ingredients into. Everything from radishes, soft boiled eggs, fried tofu and fish cakes. These come with lids (although don’t turn them upside down), so you should be able to transport them to the park with ease.
If you come to a cherry blossom party, be sure to grab a few sticks of dango from the konbini. Dango are tiny dumplings made from rice flour and are coloured green, white and pink, representing the colours of the cherry blossom trees.
If you stop in at a grocery store before arriving, make sure to head over to the fruit section. While fruit in Japan isn’t cheap, it is some of the most delicious in the world! If the bloom of the sakura coincides with the strawberry season, be sure to pick up a box of strawberries to enjoy under the canopy of the cherry blossoms.
Sake is one of the traditional hanami drinks. There is even a word for the act of drinking sake under the cherry blossoms: hanami-zake. Sake can be found in konbinis and grocery stores as well as select vending machines. There are a few parks where drinking is prohibited, so be sure to check that in advance.
Even the most extensive parks can get really crowded. Usually, you’ll be able to find at least somewhere to squeeze in, but if you want a prime location, arrive early! I honestly think the mornings are the best time to view the cherry blossoms. There is something about how the morning dew makes them shine as the sun rises that is so beautiful and special. Arriving on a weekday rather than a weekend is also a way to avoid larger crowds.
While many of these parks do have bathrooms close to the nearest train station, the washrooms’ line can be as long as an HOUR! So head over to the toilet well before you are desperate to go. Or see if there is a department store close by where you can find a bathroom. Even if it’s a little longer walk to get to the department store, you might find you’ll save a ton of time not waiting in line.
When you leave, be sure to take all your garbage with you and place it in the right trash or recycling bins. Japan takes their garbage collection very seriously. It is extremely rude and almost insulting to just leave your trash behind. There are often limited garbage cans in Japan. Usually, around hanami time, they set up some extra bins along the park’s edges for people to leave their trash. I always carry an empty plastic bag with me if I need to take my garbage with me until I find a bin. An excellent tip for everyday travels in Japan.
If it’s going to be a SUPER cold day, but you don’t want to miss out on viewing the flowers, head over to the drugstore and pick up some hand warmers. These are always on display, sometimes outside the store. They come in multipacks for a really reasonable price. Simply open the pack to ignite the warmer. They work so well and really can make it feel nice and cozy on a cold day.
Even if it’s your own blanket or tarp, it is proper etiquette to take your shoes off before you get on the tarp. It’s just like when you enter a Japanese house, it is considered rude to keep your shoes on. For this reason, if you know, the day will be cold; double up on socks!
If you’ve followed my advice and arrived early in the morning, you might find it’s still a bit cool outside, so dressing in layers is key! Something you can throw off as the day warms up is the perfect attire for a hanami party.
Although you’d think this doesn’t need to be said, please be sure to respect the trees. Many cherry blossom trees are ancient, and some can be very delicate. Although climbing one might get you a great shot, you risk breaking one of the branches or damaging the tree. Admiring the beauty of the tree can be done very well from the ground and should stay that way.
If you really want to take your hanami party to the next level, bring along a Bluetooth speaker. You can play music to enjoy as you sit under the peaceful swaying trees, staring up at the blossoms above. Keep the noise at a respectable level. If you love music but didn’t bring one along, simply walk around the park and sit yourself down beside the group with the best music! A great way to make new friends.
Don’t forget to bring along your power bank to charge your phone. Most likely you’ll want to stay in the park for a long time, and it’s always when your cellphone dies that you find the best spot for a picture!
Hopefully this guide helps you plan the perfect hanami party! This is honestly one of the most relaxing ways to enjoy the beauty of Japan during this preciously short season. Let me know in the comments if you’ve been to a hanami party before and what your favourite part about it was!
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