Yokohama: The Magical Cherry Blossom

#cherryblossom2024 Plum trees are blooming in Japan's second largest city, which indicates the arrival of spring. The Japanese tradition of Hanami – admiring flowers – goes back to ancient times. At the end of the XX century, the custom of watching cherry blossoms became widespread in the island state. When flowers bloom on plum or cherry trees, it is considered a sign of the onset of spring. After the long winter months, not only the Japanese, but also numerous tourists gather to see the beautiful sight. The trees usually bloom in early March. But if the winter was particularly cold, the trees may bloom in April. This year, in the second largest Japanese city of Yokohama, plum trees bloomed in early March. Yokohama is a city that hides a lot of amazing places. There are several popular places in the city where people come to specially admire the blooming flowers. These are the banks of the Ooka River, the traditional Japanese-style Sankei garden in the southern part of the city and the Minato Mirai district. In this business district, located near the seaport, you can also see other flowers that decorate the streets as part of the celebration of the arrival of spring. Among the most popular varieties are roses and lilies. Those who chose the Ooka riverbed for walks will be able to admire the unique views while sitting on the shore or boating. More than 600 trees have been planted along the banks of the riverbed. At night, dozens of lanterns specially illuminate the cherry blossoms, and its petals can be seen on the water surface of the lake. There have been rainy and windy days lately, so the streets are literally covered with petals that look like snow! What can I say about the cherry blossom period? Flowering itself is a very beautiful phenomenon, especially at its peak and in clear sunny weather. I was surprised, however, that sakura does not smell at all (or almost at all)! This will be a plus for some, but I missed the scent of spring. The cherry blossom period is a great opportunity to see how the Japanese relax, immerse themselves in this unique atmosphere, try out all kinds of sakura treats that are made only during this period, and generally enjoy the comfortable weather for walking (warm and not very rainy on average). In April, by the way, not only sakura blooms, but also peach, magnolia, camellia, irises, daffodils, tulips, etc. unknown plants to me – in general, flowering in full.