There is a leisurely Tokyo in the middle of cherry blossom season

In Japan, at the end of March, cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Flowers turn white from urban to rural areas, on highways and in the streets.

The delicate, fragile beauty of cherry blossoms not only fascinates millions of tourists but also captivates the people born in the land of this flower. The way Japanese people celebrate the cherry blossom festival season has created a unique "hanami" culture that is one of a kind in the world .

Cherry blossoms in Japan

At 10:45 a.m. on March 28, a charter flight of Vietravel Company brought 150 Vietnamese tourists from Tan Son Nhat Airport (HCMC) to Fukushima Airport (Japan), starting the "Diamond Route" passing through 5 provinces: Fukushima - Tochigi - Ibaraki - Tokyo - Kawaguchi.

The first destination of the diamond-shaped route is Edo Wonderland - a place that preserves the golden years of Japan. The road leading to the park, which recreates the history - culture - people of Japan in the Edo period, is dotted with deep pink cherry blossoms. On the small, bare branches, there are many blooming flowers that many visitors have to touch with their hands to confidently affirm: "These are real flowers".

Cherry blossoms welcome visitors to Edo village

Once inside, the entire Edo village, which covers an area of ​​nearly 1 square kilometer ^, is covered in the pure white color of cherry blossoms. Not only attracting visitors from all over the world, Edo Wonderland this season also attracts a large number of Japanese people to experience and enjoy the flowers. The Japanese have never stopped being "crazy" about cherry blossoms.

The village is not only a stopover for tourists but also a favorite destination for Japanese people.

However, that "fascination" can only be clearly felt when coming to Tokyo, even though by the time we arrived in the eastern capital of Japan, the day had turned into night. The rows of cherry blossoms were blooming like a silk strip embracing the Sumida River, "lighting up" Tokyo. In particular, under the cherry trees, there were many tables and chairs neatly arranged, looking from afar like a food court.

Tokyo streets are always crowded these days. Cherry blossoms are like a magnet that attracts Japanese people to go out more and relax more.

No one can resist the beauty of cherry blossoms.

- "It's not a restaurant, the Japanese are enjoying the cherry blossoms. They bring their own things, maybe tables and chairs or carpets, and then eat and drink together while looking up at the flowers" - Mr. Tran Vu, a tour guide with nearly 10 years of experience taking tourists to Japan, explained.

- "Will the authorities come and stop them from eating and drinking spontaneously like that?" - a tourist in the group asked.

- "No. Whatever the Japanese bring, they will take back. They will never litter or make public places dirty. Moreover, this activity is a part of Japanese culture" - Mr. Vu added.

Cherry blossoms line the Meguro River. This is one of the best cherry blossom viewing spots in Tokyo.

The culture that Mr. Tran Vu introduced is called "Hanami", which means "flower viewing" in Japanese. During the cherry blossom season, Japanese people often organize picnics or simply eat and chat with family and friends under the trees, feeling the petals gently fluttering in the wind right on their hair.

The street is crowded not only with tourists but mostly Japanese people coming to see the cherry blossoms.

Along the riverbank, in the park, on the streets... coming to Japan these days, you can see images of a family, a group of friends or a couple sitting and eating leisurely under a cherry tree.

In front of the Royal Palace, Japanese people often row boats and pedal boats to enjoy the short time when cherry blossoms bloom.

Beautiful cherry blossom viewing spot in front of the Imperial Palace

Cherry blossoms symbolize noble beauty and melancholy.

The Japanese culture of viewing flowers and enjoying tea under cherry blossoms is imbued with a philosophy about life. It begins with the fact that cherry trees have a long lifespan, some varieties are over 100 years old. However, the "lifespan" of cherry blossoms is very short, the petals are very fragile. Even in spring, the flowers only bloom for about a month before withering.

Therefore, for the Japanese, cherry blossoms symbolize a noble but fragile beauty. If not enjoyed in time, that beauty will quickly disappear. The moment sitting under the cherry blossoms, people will leave behind all the worries and hardships of daily life to enjoy the joy, to know how to live a full and meaningful life....

“花見 - Hanami” in Japanese means “flower viewing”, which is picnics with family and friends, eating and chatting together under the trees.

If you come to Japan in spring, you must definitely attend a Hanami party to feel the pure, simple beauty of true Japan.

Because of this meaning, in big cities, where life is increasingly stressful and pressured, the spring festival and Hanami culture take place more bustlingly. It helps Japanese people balance the pressure of life and then continue to move forward.

Source link