Hanami and the picnic bento

What it is

A hanami picnic is a shared outdoor meal on a ground sheet. The food is whatever travels well: boxed lunches, rice balls, rolled omelette, fried chicken, sushi pressed or wrapped in fried tofu, and snacks from convenience stores. Seasonal sweets are part of it. There are skewers of three rice dumplings in pink, white and green, and pink rice cakes wrapped in a salted cherry leaf. Beer, sake and canned drinks are common. Parties after dark, under lanterns, are called yozakura.

Where it comes from

Viewing blossom is recorded at the imperial court more than a thousand years ago, first for plum flowers and then for cherry. Poems were written and sake was drunk beneath the trees. In the Edo period the shoguns had cherry trees planted in public places, and the custom spread to townspeople, who brought layered lacquer boxes of food. The saying dumplings over flowers pokes fun at people who come for the eating more than the view.

How it works

The forecast of the blossom front, moving north from Kyushu to Hokkaido between late March and early May, is national news. In popular parks, space is claimed early. Offices send a junior employee in the morning to lay out a blue tarpaulin and hold the spot. Shoes come off at the edge of the mat. Each park has its own rules on alcohol, barbecues and hours, posted at the gates. Everyone carries their rubbish home or to the sorting stations.

How to do it

1. Check the blossom forecast and aim for full bloom, called mankai.
2. Buy a hanami bento from a department store food hall or a convenience store.
3. Bring a ground sheet, wet wipes and a rubbish bag.
4. Take your shoes off before stepping onto the mat.
5. Pack up every scrap when you leave.

Good manners

• Never shake, climb or break branches, and do not pick the blossom.
• Do not spread your sheet over tree roots.
• Take only the space your group needs. Keep noise down in the evening.

What is eaten

DangoJapanese sweet dumplings made from rice flour, often served on skewersSakuramochiSweet pink mochi filled with red bean paste and wrapped in a pickled cherry leafOnigiriHand-shaped Japanese rice balls, often wrapped in seaweedSushiVinegared rice paired with seafood, vegetables or other toppingsKaraageJapanese marinated and deep-fried bite-sized chicken or fishTamagoyakiJapanese rolled omelette made by layering seasoned eggs in a rectangular pan

Sources and further reading

• Hanami on Wikipedia
• Japan National Tourism Organization: Cherry blossom forecast
• Japan-guide.com: Cherry blossoms in Japan