“Hanami”: A Springtime Symphony of Blossoms

People of all ages enjoying hanami in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Gyoen.

Mount Yoshino, Nara Prefecture, filled with blooming yamazakura.

The white petals of the yamazakura contrast beautifully with the tree’s tender, young red leaves.

Edohigan blossoms. The leaves remain short, allowing a good view of the tree’s pink flowers.

Ume in bloom at Kitano Tenmangū in Kyoto. Prior to the Heian period, ume were the representative flower of spring.

Ōshima-zakura flowers, large and white, have spectacular presence.

The pale pink flowers of somei yoshino have become a favorite of Japanese people.

Kumano-zakura, a species newly discovered in 2018, will surely be planted more