Elegant naive fortresses with flower branches, parks and gardens that color white and pink and temples hidden by thousands of delicate petals. The blossoming of cherries Japan – at its peak in April, with propaggini in March and May depending on the latitude and altitude – it is the most beautiful time of the Japanese spring and a special occasion to visit the village of the Rising Sun. The word hanami – which literally means "admiring cherry blossoms" – well expresses an activity loved by the Japanese throughout the period that sees the cherry blossom. And if every flowery landscape has its poetic charm, there are places where to practice the amaves is particularly suggestive.
A Tokyo, the parks Shinjuku Gyoen and Ueno are among the most popular city areas to admire the blossoming of cherries, with relaxing walks or having a picnic on the grass, in an atmosphere of great serenity. Charming is also the show offered by hundreds of cherry trees in flower that cover the ditch of the first castle of Edo, near the Kitanomaru park: the river that flows along the ditch is accessible with rowing boats, and at night the landscape lights up.
A Kyoto, which was the capital of Japan for a thousand years, the beauty of palaces, temples and ancient gardens – if possible – even more in spring. The Maruyama park is particularly appreciated for practicing the rams and to stop to dine in the shadow of the cherry blossoms, where the many temporary restaurants set up improvised tables; the most famous attraction of the park is a giant cherry tree reminiscent of a weeping willow, and which is illuminated every evening.
If you are in the city during the flowering period, not to be missed is the path of the philosopher, a walk almost two kilometers long, to be covered under colorful branches of pink.
The castle dominating Nagoya is the recognized symbol of the city, and in its park there are some varieties of less common cherry and more particular to admire.
Also Osaka boasts a majestic city palace, whose vast court is adorned with 4,000 cherry trees. Unmissable during the flowering period in this city, however, is a walk on the riverfront, where 5000 barrels are followed for several kilometres, creating enchanting and delicate patches of pastel colors.
For those arriving in Japan in the late spring, the destination to visit is the island Hokkaido, in the north of the country. Here, where the climate approaches that of not far Russia, the cherry blossoms in May, and in late spring their white petals are almost imperceptible to the last snowflakes.
Japan is easily reachable by flights ANA, Japanese airline, which flies to Tokyo Haneda airport via Frankfurt and Munich.
