How does an entire country be so in love with cherry blossoms? From the end of March to early May, one can travel Japan to see the cherry blossoms. Even earlier, if one includes Okinawa - that supposedly is February. It is called 'hanami' which means flower viewing. The custom started in the 700s so it has a grand and long tradition. In Sakurayama Park alone there are 10,000 trees. And there are over 50 varieties in Ueno Park alone. There are about 600 species in Japan.
"The nectar of cherry blossoms is deep at the base of the petals. Only birds with long thin beaks can reach the nectar. Therefore, you're likely to see the Japanese white-eye and brown-eared bulbul nestled among the cherry blossoms. Birds like the Japanese tit and Eurasian tree sparrow have short, stout beaks so they need to tear at the petals to reach the nectar. When you see petals on the ground, it's likely the work of those two."
I've seen Baltimore Orioles rip the petals from crab apple trees, and hadn't realized that would likely be the reason.
There are many uses of Cherry blossoms in Japanese cuisine - ice cream, tea, cakes, crepes with sweet beam paste,
This year the festival peaked at the earliest date since records began 1,200 years ago. That was March 26th. Can you imagine the great love of cherries, to have started the records so long ago.
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