Facts about Hanami Festival

1. 06

   Over 300 cherry tree varieties exist in Japan, though Somei Yoshino accounts for nearly 70 percent of trees planted in parks and temples nationwide.

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2. 05

   Aristocrats and samurai first popularized hanami festival gatherings during the Heian period, initially celebrating plum blossoms before cherry trees became the cultural focus.

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3. 04

   Hanami Festival is closely tied to Japan's meteorological agencies issuing official sakura forecast maps each year, predicting the blooming front as it moves northward.

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4. 03

   Cherry blossoms during Hanami Festival typically bloom for only about two weeks, making the seasonal celebration especially fleeting and culturally significant.

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5. 02

   During Hanami Festival celebrations, people gather in parks for outdoor picnics called 'ohanami,' socializing beneath blooming sakura trees with food and drinks.

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6. 01

   The Hanami Festival tradition of gathering under flowering cherry trees to appreciate their blossoms dates back over a thousand years in Japan.

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