Features of Japanese cherry sakura. White sakura petals fly into the sky to return

Spring in Japan can only mean one thing: cherry blossoms.

Between long, cruel winter months and humid hot summers, spring is the most popular time of year for tourism in Japan, both domestic and overseas. Cherry blossom tours in Japan allow you to experience this infectious atmosphere, with parks filled with revelers and cherry blossom-scented snacks and drinks lined supermarket shelves.

The cherry blossom front spreads across the country, starting in February in Okinawa in the south and reaching Hokkaido in May. Cherry blossoms can be influenced by a number of factors, especially Cold winter may mean flowers appear late, mild weather results in early blooms, and heavy rain may cause the petals to fall much faster. For this reason, before planning spring break in Japan, you need to study the cherry blossom forecast.

Dates

Cherry blossoms usually begin blooming in Okinawa around January/February, in central Japan around March and April, and in northern Hokkaido around May. In areas located on highlands, flowering begins later than in lowland areas. In Tokyo, flowering usually occurs at the end of March, reaching the full bloom phase around April 5th. In Kyoto, cherry blossoms bloom a day or two later than in the capital, while the mountainous regions around Takayama and Matsumoto bloom about two weeks later, starting in mid-April.

Hanami

A traveler who is lucky enough to buy a tour to Japan and find himself in this country during the cherry blossom season should definitely go to local parks and gardens, grab food and drinks for a picnic and join local residents for hanami ("flower admiring"). It is during this period that the Japanese are most relaxed, and everyone public places acquire an atmosphere similar to a party.

Typical hanami locations such as city parks, landscaped gardens, castle grounds, and riverside areas are filled with crowds during cherry blossom season. The flowers usually stay on the trees for a couple of weeks, sometimes less if it rains heavily, so visitors have a small time window in which to enjoy the trees in full bloom. Hanami parties are so popular that some companies pay one employee to sit in the park all day, holding a seat for the office hanami in the evening.

Hanami parties can be held during the day and in the evening. Cherry blossoms are especially beautiful at dusk, when the trees are lit by lanterns.

Story

The tradition of hanami is centuries old, believed to have begun during the Nara period (710-794), so by taking part in hanami, the tourist is joining one of Japan's most loved and revered rituals.

Although the term "hanami" has been used almost exclusively to refer to cherry blossom viewing since the Heian Period (794-1185), historically the Japanese have hosted hanami parties under wisteria and plum blossoms. Today, some older Japanese still gather to see plum blossoms (ume), which for them is a quieter alternative to noisy hanami parties.

In ancient Japan, cherry blossoms were great importance, as it marked the rice planting season and was used to predict the harvest. Moreover, his fleeting beauty was a metaphor for life itself, praised in numerous poems.

The Japanese believed that spirits lived in sakura trees, and they made offerings in the form of rice wine to them. This developed into the tradition of hanami parties, a celebration of food, drink and fun, which is believed to have begun in the court of Emperor Saga and has become a tradition loved by all sections of society.

Sakura flavored products

During the hanami season, a visitor to Japan may think that the country has gone a little crazy because of the sakura. Not only are there many themed events and festivals, but even cherry-scented products on supermarket shelves reflect the coming season.

A trip to Japan in the spring will give tourists the opportunity to taste sakura-chu-hai (sweet alcoholic drinks), sakura dumplings, sakura KitKat, sakura beer, sakura chips, and even a Starbucks sakura flavored latte! What do these foods taste like? Most people would agree that this is a taste that takes some getting used to, with a scent that is somewhere between lavender and soap!

Top 10 hanami places

There are countless superb hanami spots in Japan, and anyone who plans to purchase a holiday to Japan has their own personal favorite so we've put together a few the best places from our point of view, so that the traveler has a place to start.

1. Mount Yoshino, Nara Prefecture

This mountain, with over 30,000 cherry trees, has been Japan's most famous cherry blossom spot for hundreds of years.

2. Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo

Tokyo is known the world over as a cutting-edge metropolis with high-rise buildings and flashing neon lights, and while that's true, it also has plenty of green space to take a break from the bustle of the capital and relax. One of the best places in Tokyo where travelers who have bought tours to Japan can watch cherry blossoms is undoubtedly national park Shinjuku Gyoen, which has over a thousand cherry trees and has both early and late blooming varieties, meaning the cherry season here is longer than elsewhere in the city.

Other great hanami spots in the city include Imperial Palace Gardens, Hamarikyu Gardens, and Ueno Park, so be sure to check out a few of them.

3. Himeji Castle, Hyogo Prefecture

This object world heritage UNESCO has survived fires, wars, earthquakes and the Meiji Restoration to be one of the few original feudal castles still in Japan. Surrounded by cherry trees, Himeji is undoubtedly one of the best places to visit in spring!

If a visit to Himeji isn't included on your Japan tour this spring, don't worry - almost all Japanese castles (whether original or reconstructed) are great places for hanami as they are traditionally surrounded by cherry trees.

4. Mount Fuji

Arriving at Mount Fuji in the spring, you can get two pleasures for the price of one, since this mountain is surrounded by cherry trees. There are plenty of places to get a view of Mount Fuji, but our favorites are Hakone, the Five Lakes area, and northern shores Lake Kawaguchiko and Chureito Pagoda.

5. Philosophical trail, Kyoto

The Kyoto Philosopher's Trail is a road that runs along a stone-paved canal in the northern part of the Higashiyama area. The trail got its name from the philosopher Nishidee Kitaro, who meditated here on his way to Kyoto University. Along the road, 2 kilometers long, there are also restaurants, cafes, shops and, of course, sakura trees that bloom magnificently in early April. This is one of the most popular hanami places in Kyoto, and those who book a tour to Japan from Moscow, prices for which depend on its duration, will not regret visiting this place. At the same time, you can go on a tour to Japan from other major cities of the CIS countries.

6. Kenroku-en Garden, Kanazawa

Recognized as one of the top three landscape gardens in Japan (considered the best of the three), Kenroku-en Garden in Kanazawa is beautiful place to visit at any time of the year, but especially during the cherry blossom season. The garden is so large that you can easily spend a couple of hours wandering around it.

7. Miharu Taki-zakura

Miharu Taki-zakura (“Sakura Waterfall in Miharu”) is located near the small town of Miharu in Fukushima Prefecture, in the northern Tohoku region of the Japanese island of Honshu. This massive weeping cherry, which is 12 meters high and has a trunk circumference of 9.5 meters, is over a thousand years old. It is probably the most famous tree in Japan and is considered by many to be the most beautiful.

8. Hirosaki Castle, Hirosaki

From the end of April, the park around Hirosaki Castle transforms into a pink wonderland with more than 2,500 cherry trees, tunnels made of cherry blossoms, evening illuminations, moats pink with petals, beautiful picnic areas and rented rowing boats. If you visit this place from April 23 to May 5, you can become a member of the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival. This park is one of the top three places to admire cherry blossoms in Japan, so if a trip to Japan in the spring includes a visit to this place, the tourist will get an unforgettable experience.

9. Hanamiyama Park, Fukushima

Another attraction in the Tohoku region, Hanamiyama Park ("flower-viewing mountain") is located on the slopes surrounding a rural farming community in Fukushima Prefecture. The park was laid out by local farmers who began to grow ornamental plants and trees in the area, and was opened to the public in 1959. Here you can admire various varieties of sakura and other flowering trees with a beautiful view of the Azuma Mountains.

10. Takato Castle Ruins, Nagano

Last but not least on our list is the ruined Takato Castle Park in Nagano Prefecture. It ranks third in the official ranking of hanami places in Japan (along with Mount Yoshino and Hirosaki Castle). Situated on a hill in the city of Ina (Nagano), the park is about 60 kilometers from Matsumoto (where Black Crow Castle also provides a great spot for hanami). In April, there are many yatai outlets set up for the annual cherry blossom festival in the park, and there is also a wonderful illumination that turns on from sunset to 10 pm.

Like many places on this list, Takato Castle Park is packed with people during the cherry blossom season, so tourists who don't like crowds should visit early in the morning and avoid the weekend. Inside the park is the curved bridge of Onkyo, which is one of the most beautiful places during the cherry blossom season, but if you take the time to walk, you can find no less impressive places.

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In the land of the rising sun great attention devote to nature, in particular when the cherry blossoms in Japan, the beautiful tradition of hanami, associated with admiring nature, gains strength.

A touch of spring

The whole country adopted this custom, which began in Shizuoka and Odawara. AT recent decades In the 20th century, other states in which this wonderful tree grows also adopt this custom.

Entire alleys are created, which acquire the status of attractions. magic days, in Japan, last a little over a week, after which the petals fall off. If the weather is bad, it can happen in 5 days.

When cherry blossoms in Japan, the temperature is 18 degrees. Of course, the south and north of the state are somewhat different in temperature. In total, when answering the question in what month sakura blossoms in Japan, one can take into account both the end of February and the entire spring period.

Efficiency and scale

This event is treated very responsibly, the news reports on the duration of flowering for each territory. Photos of cherry blossoms in Japan are beautiful. In Tokyo, the spectacle can be enjoyed as early as the beginning of April. Information is coming in about how many trees will soon be covered with delicate whiteness in each park. Many people go to see it in Ueno, the most beautiful of parks, or in Shinjukugyoen.

In the latter, you can see 1.5 thousand trees, divided into 75 species. Such a spectacle is incredibly impressive. When sakura blossoms in Japan, a lot of visitors come to the area of ​​which is 626 thousand square meters. m. You can also look into the wonderful Sumida Park, where there are 400 trees. The lighting designed there creates a wonderful atmosphere.

Throwing away worldly vanity

Japan is very proud of its traditions. Cherry blossoms are an occasion for employees of various companies to come out into the air during the labor process along with colleagues and the boss. Everyone knows about the advanced technologies of this country and its rapid progress.

Nevertheless, Japan is the land of cherry blossoms, and nature is paid no less attention here than science. Surprisingly, the inhabitants of this state combine love for natural goods and the ability to adapt the world to the needs of man.

When the cherry blossoms in Japan, people can stop for a while, relax and admire the beauty of the flowers. For some reason, in European states, such simple trifles are forgotten, although they are very important and, in principle, can please no less than some expensive thing that you tirelessly save up for for many months. People are becoming more accustomed to enjoy the expensive toys that appear in TV commercials. But here everything is free and much more beautiful, more natural.

Celebration order

The Japanese can only be praised and respected for such traditions. They set up tent camps in squares where you can buy food or drinks, children's toys. It's kind of like a fair. Everywhere you can see spread out mats and outdoor picnic lovers sitting on them. It happens that it’s hard to win back a “place in the sun”, because the best positions are taken at night.

A plastic mat is spread out, which symbolizes the occupation of the territory. There is a beautiful view in front of people at any time of the day, because there is a backlight installed by the municipality. The most beautiful tones of flowers are shaded. Another interesting detail is the use of small flashlights (“right-appu”) that create illumination from below.

There are also taller lanterns, which are decorated with washi rice paper. The lighting is very soft. Hanami held at night is called yozakura. A special attitude has developed towards the flowers that fall to the ground. They symbolize how the Japanese view beauty.

We are talking about the fact that everything that pleases our eyes is admired, because its age is short, and we need to appreciate those wonderful moments while it shines with splendor. Everything we get used to becomes part of everyday life, no longer having its former weight.

History of occurrence

Such a wonderful tradition arose when the imperial court was functioning, and it was in the 3rd century AD. The peak of its distribution was the Heian era, when courtiers could be found for a long time passing near the trees, dressed in delicate flowers.

Light drinks were also drunk, salon games were held and beautiful poems were composed. The resurgent life itself was embodied in this ritual, which came to Japan from China, to which the then enlightened minds were equal in the early era. Sakura symbolizes the identity of the Land of the Rising Sun, this is her national symbol. From 894 envoys were no longer sent to the Celestial Empire, and the state became more and more independent.

Philosophical meaning

The flowering period is very short, so it is important to take some time to admire this amazing event. It prompts thoughts about the eternal. In particular, about how fleeting life is, but at the same time beautiful, amazing and bright.

In addition, purity of thought and courage are glorified. During the Edo period, this custom has firmly entered the life and culture of the Japanese. Rice is planted at the same time. So it is also a symbol of the harvest, as well as the resurgent nature, a new stage for the whole country.

People believed that flowers had a special spirit to which they made offerings. In parallel, culture developed, affecting this custom. Another peak for this custom is the Tokugawa era, when at the state level it was ordered to create plantations of sakura throughout Japan. Thus, they wanted to strengthen national traditions. If before this custom was followed exclusively by aristocrats, now absolutely the whole people began to join it. So over time it was brought to the official level.

Significance

A very large khanami was carried out in 1598 on the orders of T. Hideyoshi, who was a military leader at that time. He achieved victory over the separatist princes and established unified control over the entire state. In honor of this triumph, a procession was organized, in which 1.3 thousand people took part. They were moving towards Daigo, a temple in Kyoto. This is where the cherry blossoms were celebrated. Many beautiful poems were written about this event and plays were staged in theaters. After that, the Japanese love for tradition became more and more solid.

These trees decorated the center political life states at the time when the Tokugawa shogunate ruled. By special order, they were delivered by feudal lords, who had to be citizens of Edo for at least a year. It was a period of discovery of new species obtained by crossing.

» Varieties of cherries

Forms of East Asian species of small-serrated cherry with double flowers are known under the generalized name "sakura" or Japanese cherry. Japan is considered the distribution area and homeland of exotic plants.

Trees belong to the rose family, are fast growing and reach natural environment 20 meters high. Modern selection has about 400 varietal variants.

The breeding of garden varieties is based on grafting and crossing cultivated species with sharp-sawed wild cherries.

Sakura is typical spreading rounded crown. Its bark is brownish-red in color and covered with a network of small cracks.

Oval leaf blades with notches around the circumference change color in the fall in the range from dark crimson to brown. The fruits are not suitable for eating., therefore, sakura cherries are classified as ornamental plants.

East Asian cherries have won planetary fame with colorful flowering. The petals of the plant have shades of white and pink tonality. There are species with yellow, red and crimson brushes.

For the period of their blooming in Japan, working days are canceled and Hanami is declared a national holiday.

Plant Meaning for the Hanami Festival

According to one version, reddish cherry blossom petals stained with the blood of family members of one of the village elders.

After he showed the ruler the scars on the backs of his children due to the cruel treatment of the prince's servants, the latter flogged them to death on the top of the mountain where the cherry blossoms grew.

Falling petals turned pink with blood stains. Now they symbolize the fragility of children's destinies in the modern world.

The celebration of Hanami is symbolically carried out in a family atmosphere. The duration of the process depends on the flowering period of the legendary cherry.

Each tree blooms for several days: sooner or later - depending on the species. As a result, a chain is formed - flowering plants pass the baton to blooming ones.

The Japanese media notify residents in advance of the estimated time of cherry blossoms and its duration: many prefer to travel around the country in order to repeatedly catch the grandiose spectacle.

Traditionally Hanami falls at the end of March or beginning of April.

Main varieties

Kiku shidare

The most suitable variety of garden small-serrated cherry for steppe and forest-steppe zones with temperate continental climatic conditions. Healthy trees grow up to 4 m, with an annual growth of about 30 cm.

The crown of kiku shidare plants is spreading and prone to thickening. The leaf plates have an elliptical shape with small frequent notches along the cut and are relatively large size(7-9 cm).

The decorative feature of the kiku shidare is concluded in an early prolonged flowering period (the end of March - the first decade of April). Brushes of large-diameter (5-7 cm) densely double pink flowers are numerous and abundantly cover the branches.

The variety is self-fertile. A singly planted tree with qualified care intensively blooms and bears fruit.

For growth, it prefers sunny areas on sandy-clay, alkaline or neutral soils. The abundance of flowering depends on the regularity and timeliness of fertilizing with superphosphates.

Kanzan

This small-serrated tree-like variety of garden sakura is lower than its decorative counterparts (up to 10 m in height in an adult tree). The shape of the crown is obversely conical. Because of this, kanzan is recognized as an exotic and creative decoration of suburban areas.

The growth rate of trees of the variety is medium. The elongated oval-shaped foliage becomes fiery yellow with the advent of autumn.

Sakura kanzan blooms with massive fragrant pink flowers, which are grouped in hanging elongated inflorescences of 3-6 pieces. The duration of flowering is average.

The plant is photophilous and prioritizes neutral or highly alkaline soils.

Planting and growing

For planting decorative sakura, you need choose a lighted and ventilated area without moisture stagnation during periods of floods and rains. Hills and elevations are the best choice.

When choosing a landing site, it is necessary to strike a balance between light transmission (sakura does not like shadows) and the absence of strong winds. The wall option may be ideal.

It is recommended to opt for grafted seedlings, which are traditionally purchased in the fall and aged until the spring thaw in humid spaces at room temperature. Before planting, the plants should have a height of about 1.5 meters, a mature trunk and a well-formed root network.

Planting is preferably done in late autumn or early spring., before swelling of the kidneys, with established heat temperature regime. Simultaneous planting of several seedlings provides a greater degree of profusion of flowering and fruit formation in the future.

Plants should be planted at a distance of 1.5-2 m from each other and a row spacing of 2.5-3 m.

Pits for planting must be prepared in advance. It is advisable to place in them a mixture of the upper fertile layers of the earth and humus.

Immediately before planting, it is necessary to fertilize the soil with 15-18 liters of potassium sulfate solution with the addition of superphosphates. The root neck cannot be sprinkled with earth.

At the end of planting, the near-stem zone is watered and carefully mulched with humus or a thin peat layer of 4-5 cm.

At the initial stage of tree growth, care for the tree circle should be careful and thorough. Do not allow damage to the root system and quickly remove weeds. In this case, the sakura will strengthen faster and overwinter without damage.

Features of care

Successful growth of sakura is possible with proper care and creating optimal conditions for development. Systematic drainage and regular feeding contribute to the growth of a healthy tree.

The state of cherries is largely influenced by the content of nitrogen and potassium in the soil. Their lack is fraught with manifestations of acute reactions of sakura: poor flowering and premature shedding of foliage.

Soil depletion is eliminated by introducing humus and compost (6-8 kg) under each root. Chemical top dressing is carried out with a solution of the necessary elements at the rate of 15-18 g for one square meter of the near-trunk zone.

Several plentiful waterings of sakura are acceptable at the stage of active growth. The rest of the time it is enough to maintain the natural balance of soil moisture. Excessive hydration results in low bud formation, poor flowering and crushing of the petals.

Before the start of sap flow in early spring cutting of dry and damaged branches, thinning of the crown.

Mature plants are frost resistant, and young trees successfully winter in a sheltered form. Before the start of the cold season, graft sites, stems and bases of large branches are wrapped with agrofiber or improvised materials that do not create a greenhouse effect.

Throughout the growing season spraying sakura with chemicals: primary - before flowering, secondary - after a month after the ovary of berries.

pruning

Removal of affected and dried branches, sprouts, which prevent comfortable light absorption and sufficient air exchange, are carried out in early spring, before the start of sap flow.

Fragments with traces of activity of harmful organisms are subject to cutting and burning.

Places of cuts should be treated with garden pitch. It is important to ensure that gum does not form at the site of the sections. The appearance of sticky growths is excluded in the case of competent drainage and watering.

Diseases and pests

If the sakura is affected by harmful organisms, the intensity of flowering decreases, the petals wrinkle, and the tree develops behind the norm. There may be facts of exfoliation of the bark and the formation of growths.

A common disease of sakura, like other cherry trees, is defeat by a fungus, which leads to drying of foliage, blackening and mummification of berries.

Spraying sulfur-coal powder can help the plant in this unpleasant situation. It should cover the affected segments and prevent further spread of fungal aggression.

Leaves that fall from unhealthy cherry blossoms should not be left under a tree for the winter. Healthy and infected leaves and branches must be taken outside the site and burned.

This precaution prevents the spread of fungal diseases to neighboring crops.

The effect of combating pathogenic organic matter is enhanced by the use of insecticides. Restrictions on the use of chemicals are imposed during flowering and fruit set. In case of urgent need, this rule can be neglected.

grow on personal plot one of the most spectacular flowering plants on the planet is a feasible task and does not require excessive physical, material and emotional expenses.

The reward for the labors is the contemplation of the unsurpassed aesthetic impact of a natural miracle. Worth a try: gurus of sakura studies, the Japanese, consider a person soulless if he is deaf to the manifestations of the surrounding beauties.

There are four seasons in Japan, including spring from March to May, and this article will provide information about the weather and events to participate in for those planning to visit Japan in the spring. We hope this will help you get the most out of your trip and visit the festivals and other events that interest you.

Spring is an amazing time of the year in Japan, the time for cherry blossoms, when the branches are covered with fresh foliage and everything plays with new colors, as well as the time to feast on new seasonal dishes. Also, in Japan, in the spring, a new school year and a new reporting period begin at enterprises, so spring is the time interesting meetings and new acquaintances. We have collected and summarized some general information, which will be useful to everyone who will be in the spring in Japan.

What to pay attention to first of all and what to try?

Usually, spring In Japan, there are three months from March to May.

March in Tokyo spring weather typical temperature is about thirteen degrees above zero during the day and about five degrees - in the morning and evening. In April, the daytime temperature reaches already eighteen and a half degrees above zero, and morning and evening - about ten and a half degrees. In May, during the day, you can expect twenty-three degrees, and about fifteen in the morning and evening.

Despite the fact that it is spring, during the first half of the season the weather is still cool, sometimes it can snow, and only in the second half of the season do warm and sunny days finally come.

The best sides of spring

The best part of spring is without a doubt the cherry blossoms. Sakura blooms everywhere - in parks, along roads on the streets, in the mountains and along river banks. Sakura trees are planted in a variety of places, blooming in soft pink at about the same time. Flowering time depends on climate changes each year, but mostly occurs in March - flowering comes into effect gradually from southern regions Japan to the north.

The average cherry blossom time in Hokkaido and Sapporo is approximately in the first days of May, it reaches its peak by the eighth or tenth. In the Tokyo area, cherry blossoms begin around March 25th and come into full bloom by April 6th. In Osaka, sakura begins to bloom around the twenty-eighth of March, also reaching the peak of flowering by the sixth of April. In Kyoto, this period is designated as the period from the twenty-seventh of March to the ninth of April inclusive. In general, the entire time that the cherry blossoms are in bloom does not take such a long period, so if you intend to catch the annual cherry blossoms, you should carefully plan your trip, taking into account the weather and the forecasted flowering dates for the current year.

The most beautiful sakura, of course, is in full bloom, but when the petals begin to fall, it is also very beautiful - it looks like a fantastic snowfall of incredible shades. You can admire cherry blossoms not only during the day, but also in the evening. Such a pastime is called yozakura (yozakura) - nighttime cherry blossom viewing, and can provide you with unusual and very different nighttime views of cherry blossoms.

In Japan, hanami (cherry blossom viewing) is a common thing to do with friends, family, even work colleagues. People gather together under the blossom-strewn sakura branches, eat and drink, socialize and have fun.

Special spring food

Spring in Japan is the time for germination. Young bamboo shoots, young aralia leaves, Japanese butterbur and other greens like broccoli and baby cabbage, among many other foods that you can only enjoy in spring, appear on the shelves and on the menu. Although the taste of these products is bitter, they are an excellent tool for removing toxins and preservatives, which the body must have picked up over the winter.

And food like soft seaweed is better than any announcement that spring has arrived in Japan. Also, there is another berry, by the presence of which one can say with full confidence that spring has come, and this is a strawberry (strawberry). There are many varieties of strawberries grown in Japan, and they are all very sweet, and the firm berries glisten like gems.

What to wear when traveling to Tokyo

March is a rather cool month in Japan, so it's best to bring a coat with you. In April there are already more warm days. You will need a sweater or jacket, or a light raincoat for days with bad weather when it's windy, or in case you decide to take a walk at night. In May the weather is much nicer and warmer. You will be quite comfortable in a long-sleeved T-shirt and jacket.

Spring in Japan, and especially during the cherry blossom season, offers great weather and stunning views, which is why many people advise you to go to Japan at this time of the year.

Enjoy spring in Japan with festivals and holiday celebrations.

omizutori

Omizutori is held for two weeks starting on March 1 every year in Nara, at the Nigatsu Pavilion-do of the Todai-ji temple complex. This celebration is dedicated to the arrival of spring and has been held annually since the eighth century. The festival reaches its culminating point at midnight on the twelfth of March (about half past two in the night already on the thirteenth). The monks light large cedar torches and carry them to the Vakasa well, from where they draw water (according to legend, water appears in this well only once a year) and bring it to the bodhisattva Kannon (goddess of mercy), and then offer it to everyone who came to the ceremony.

This is a very spectacular festival and worth attending from start to finish. But be that as it may, make sure you are dressed warmly enough for a chilly March night.

Hina Matsuri - puppet festival

Held on the third of March, the Hina Matsuri, or Doll Festival, is one of the most spectacular spring festivals in Japan. Initially, it was a ritual in which people prayed for health for their daughters, but today, parents who have girls in their families put up impressive installations of traditional dolls dressed in aristocratic outfits and sitting on a tiered stand. These hina dolls represent the imperial family and court entourage of the Heian era. In addition to the dolls, the house is also decorated with peach flowers and special meals and drinks are prepared, including sweet white sake, sushi and clam soup.

Hokyo-ji Temple in Fukuki, also known as the "Temple of the Dolls", houses dolls that belonged to the female part royal family, they are put on public display every year from the first of March to the third of April. On March 1, from 11:00 to 11:30, in the main pavilion of the temple, decorated with traditional dolls, they play the biwa (a Japanese stringed plucked instrument, which is characterized by a special ringing timbre of the string, belongs to the lute instruments) and dance.

Hanami - admiring flowers

Spring in Japan primarily means cherry blossoms. Few of the Japanese do not take part in hanami - admiring the cherry blossoms. short period the time during which the delicate blossoms are just beginning to open lasts only a few days, turning the places where the sakura grows into quite popular points to visit. Such places very quickly turn out to be filled with lovers to admire the beauty of blooming flowers, they come here with their families, friends or work colleagues.

School opening ceremony

While in Europe autumn is associated with the start of the school year, in Japan the ceremony for the start of the new school year is held in April and is called nyūgakushiki (nyugakushiki). A similar ceremony is held for freshly admitted college and university students, and also in April. Even the new reporting period at enterprises in Japan begins in April. The ceremony of the first day of school is held as a holiday in schools, it is shown on television, paying enough attention to the cherry blossoms in the school yards.

Yabasume Shinji

Yabasume Shinji is an event during which archers shoot at targets while riding galloping horses; It is held every year on the third of May on the grounds of Shimogamo Shrine, located in the Sakyo district of Kyoto. The sight of these archers, dressed in old-fashioned noble dress and shooting at three targets from a hundred meters, right at full speed, can really impress. The event is held from 13:00 to 15:30, and is open to everyone, admission is free.

Aoi matsuri

Aoi matsuri in Kyoto is one of the three largest celebrations along with the Gion Festival and the Historical Festival. About five hundred people in elegant attire, accompanied by several horses, cows and ox-drawn carts, walk about eight kilometers along the road leading from the Kyoto Imperial Palace to Shimogamo Shrine and Kamigamo Shrine. The procession leaves the Imperial Palace at 10:30 AM and arrives at Kamigamo Shrine at approximately 3:00 PM. The event may be rescheduled in case of rain.

Tango no Sekku - Boys' Festival

On the fifth of May, the so-called Boys' Festival - Tango no Sekku - is held. Traditionally, this holiday is dedicated to boys. Since 1948, the holiday has been proclaimed national, and has also become known as Children's Day.

In houses where there are boys, the facades are decorated with koinobori (a streamer depicting a carp). Koinobori represents the spirit of the carp, which in Japan is considered a symbol of success and vitality.

Indulge yourself in the pleasure of enjoying spring with all your heart by joining the celebration of these wonderful events during your trip to Japan!

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Cherry blossoms in Japan begin blooming in April, when students return to school and adults back to work after the holidays. National meteorological service Japan even tracks the movement " cherry blossom front”, which is an imaginary line running from south to north, and predicts the blooming of flowers. The estimated dynamics of flowering is reflected in " sakura calendar».

Cherry blossoms are associated with the ancient Japanese tradition of hanami - holding a picnic under a tree. Sakura has become an integral symbol of Japanese art and modern aesthetics. Although this tree grows in China and Korea, it is usually associated primarily with the culture of Japan. Therefore, sakura often accompanies the Japanese diaspora in cities around the world.

Sakura is beautiful wherever it grows. It blooms for a short time, but you can admire the photographs all year round.

Joy of hanami
Sakura blossoms tenderly
The heart is on fire

Looking for a spirit
My beloved has chosen
Way of the Samurai

Didn't see any tears
And leaving for the sunset
smiled at me

white sakura
Petals fly into the sky
To come back.

Kitsune Miyato

Sakura blooms all around
Her fragrance floats in verses
Yellow wine slumbers in a vessel.

Miter

Where have you gone, my heart?
Wait a minute! mountain cherries
Showered - you again
You will return to your home.

Saigyo

There are no strangers between us!
We are all brothers to each other
Under cherry blossoms.

Kobayashi Issa

Ah, if only in our world
The moon did not hide in the clouds,
The cherries didn't fall!
Then I would live in peace
Without this eternal anxiety...

Saigyo

In my native country
cherry blossoms
And grass in the fields!
Cherries at the waterfall...
For those who love good wine,
I'll take down the branch as a gift.

ISSA

Joy in the soul.
In the valley I see cherry blossoms
I'm going to admire the flowers.
Extend my life...

Miter

Oh, how many of them are in the fields!
But everyone blooms in their own way -
This is the highest feat of a flower!

BASHO

The rain is tired
The clouds have gone beyond Fuji.
Sakura is blooming.

Miter

cherry blossom buds,
Smile all at once
The whim of the wind!

Basho

Cherries have the same color
And the same scent
Like last year,
And I?
Why have I changed so much?

Ki no Tomonori

cherry blossom
In the distance I distinguish, or sleeves
Heavenly fairies
Swaying on the slope of Furuyama
In the rays of spring dawn?

Fujiwara no Teika

Cherries had the same aroma and color ...
And how then, in a long past year,
They are blooming now!
But I'm different...
Many years have passed, and I'm not the same ...

Ki Tomonori

Pass years and stronger sadness,
It has become a habit to indulge in sadness.
After all, there is no such spring
When it would not be a pity
Say goodbye to spring flowers.

Izumi Shikibu

That's right, cherry blossoms
They gave their coloring
The voices of the nightingales.
How sweet they sound
At spring dawn!

Saigyo

Spring mist, why did you hide
Cherry flowers that are now flying around
On the slopes of the mountains?
Not only shine is dear to us, -
And the fading moment is worthy of admiration!

Tsurayuki