fbpx

KidsKonnect

Cherry Blossom Festival Facts & Worksheets

The Cherry Blossom Festival marks the arrival of spring in Japanese culture.

Search for Worksheets

Worksheets /Seasonal and Holiday /Cherry Blossom Festival Facts & Worksheets
Premium
Not ready to purchase a subscription? Click to download the free sample version   Download sample

Cherry blossom festivals (sakura matsuri) mark the arrival of spring. Cherry blossoms make for a charming sight at this time of year with their fleeting presence in various parts of the country. They represent the delicate and ephemeral nature of life.

See the fact file below for more information on the Cherry Blossom Festival or you can download our 27-page Cherry Blossom Festival worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY

  • Hanami (flower viewing) is an ancient Japanese custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers that dates back to the Nara Period. It started with aristocrats who went to see the blossoming “ume”, or plum trees. However, sakura (cherry blossoms) had gained popularity by the Heian Period, and hanami had become synonymous with sakura. 
  • The practice was restricted to the Imperial Court’s elite, yet it quickly spread and, by the Edo Period, went to the ordinary people. Tokugawa Yoshimune (8th shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan) planted areas of sakura trees. People eat lunch and drink sake in cheerful feasts under these trees.
  • Observing them has been celebrated for thousands of years during the Hanami season. The ancient farmers also used the blooming of the sakura flowers to determine when it was time to plant their rice crops, which helped to keep famine at bay.

CHERRY BLOSSOMS

  • The delicate flowers of the sakura are an essential part of Japanese life, culture, and history. As cherry blossoms are both beautiful and fleeting (the blooms rarely last more than two weeks), they have come to represent the impermanence of beauty. Cherry blossoms are frequently depicted in works of art and even tattoos to represent the Japanese concept of mono no aware, the sad realization that “nothing lasts forever”.
  • The Japanese have long believed that the cherry blossom represents the fragility and beauty of life and that each blossom serves as a reminder that life can be tragically short. Even today, the newly emerging blossoms of cherry trees are regarded as a symbol of hope, beauty, and new life – all of which deserve to be celebrated.
  • Sakura, and their ephemeral blooms, are also vital in Japanese culture. The tree festivals even inspired a popular folk song called “Sakura, Sakura”.
  • The cherry blossom has such a special meaning in Japan that some consider it the country’s national flower. 

THE BLOOM SEASON

  • Every year, the cherry blossom season lasts from late March to early May, but some can start blooming as early as January. There are no set dates for the season because various factors, such as weather and location, can affect the timing of blooms across the country. 
  • If the months and weeks preceding the hanami season are mild, the blossoms will open earlier. Alternatively, the blooms will open later if the winter has been freezing. Every spring, the Japan Weather Association, Weather Map Co., and Weathernews Inc. issue cherry blossom forecasts in Japan.
  • Cherry blossoms can bloom as early as January on the southernmost subtropical islands. Blooms are typically delayed in the north and larger cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka until the middle of March or later in April. There are usually a few days between the first bloom and the full bloom.

THE FESTIVAL

  • Cherry blossom festivals are held in various parts of the country. Festival dates are typically determined by cherry blossom forecasts. 
  • Aristocrats used to write poetry or paint pictures to commemorate the beauty of the cherry blossom. Today’s Japanese make enjoyment of cherry blossom viewing a priority. They drink and eat, making the blossom-viewing tradition more like a picnic under the trees. People bring home-cooked meals, grill foods, or order take-out to commemorate the festival.
  • As thousands of people flock to parks, securing the more excellent spots in public spaces for picnics and parties may become competitive. Many people will go early in the morning or even a day in advance to stake out a spot.
  • Because sake (an alcoholic Japanese beverage) has been flowing throughout the day, the festivities often devolve into good-natured revelry by the time evening arrives. This could be an excellent time to become acquainted with local drinking customs.

FAMOUS CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVALS IN JAPAN 

Goryokaku Cherry Blossom Festival (Hakodate City, Hokkaido)

  • The Goryokaku Park Cherry Blossom Festival features nearly 1,600 cherry blossom trees. Goryokaku is an unusual star-shaped moated fort and the largest Western-style fort in Japan. From the 107-meter Goryokaku Tower, you can see the pink-dyed, star-shaped Goryokaku.
  • Annual Event Dates are late April to mid-May. 

Kitakami Tenshochi Cherry Blossom Festival (Kitakami City)

  • With about 2 km of cherry blossom tree rows, the Kitakami Tenshochi Cherry Blossom Festival is held alongside the Kitakami River. 
  • Around Kitakami City, folk art performances and nighttime light-ups are held during cherry blossom season. 

Ueno Cherry Blossom Festival (Tokyo)

  • Ueno Park has been a longtime favorite hanami location, with more than 70 years of cherry blossom festival. The Ueno Music Preservation Society organizes events for this occasion, including the Kotobuki-jishi and Daikoku-mai folk dances, a flower market, and the Aozora Antique Market.

Mount Yoshino Cherry Blossom Festival (Yoshino)

  • Light-ups are held in the nearby parks when the flowers are in bloom. On the mountain, nearly 30,000 wild cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Evening views of the cherry blossoms are also available.

Cherry Blossom Festival in Osaka Castle Park (Chuo, Osaka)

  • Another prominent location for cherry blossoms is Osaka Castle Park. A light-up is held in Nishinomaru Garden, which has about 300 Yoshino cherry trees. Picnicking is not permitted.
  • Annual Event: Late March to Mid-April

Matsuyama Spring Festival (Ehime Prefecture)

  • There are many springtime activities during the festival, particularly in Matsuyama Castle and Shiroyama Park’s Horinouchi area. Along with a parade and Shinonome Noh performance, the cherry blossom trees in Honmaru Square and along Tojo Road are highlighted.

TERMINOLOGIES

  • The Cherry Blossom Festival is such a special occasion. Even the terms used by the Japanese to describe the various blooms, their stages of development, and how they are celebrated are unique. Among the most popular terms are:
  • Hanami – used to describe viewing cherry blossoms and also means “flower” and “see”.
  • Sakura – translates as “cherry blossom”, comes from the verb “saku”, which means “to bloom”.
  • Tsubomi – refers to buds that have begun to bud but have not yet bloomed.
  • Mankai – a term for cherry blossom trees that are 80% complete but not yet fully bloomed.
  • Migoro – translates to “best time to see” or “when all the flowers are in full bloom”.
  • Hanagasumi – translates to “flower haze”, a term used to describe the beauty of numerous blossoms.
  • Sakura-Fubuki – which translates to “cherry blossom snowstorm”, describes the appearance of petals blowing in the wind.
  • Hana-no-ami – translates to “flower rain” and refers to rain falling on flowers.
  • Mikkaminumanosakura – describes a change that occurs suddenly, such as when cherry blossoms go from being fully bloomed to being dispersed in a short period.

OTHER INTERESTING FACTS

  • Cherry Blossom blooms for only about a week.
  • The Cherry Blossom Association in Japan established March 27 as “Sakura No Hi”, or “Cherry Blossom Day”, in 1992.
  • There are over 600 different sakura varieties.
  • Sakura petals can be consumed. Sakura petals are soaked in salt in a process called “shiozuke” to produce a delicacy with a distinctive flavor called “sakurazuke”.
  • The Japanese have a saying, “practicality over aesthetics”, which means that the blossoms are a small component of the celebrations as a whole.

Cherry Blossom Festival Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Cherry Blossom Festival across 27 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about the Cherry Blossom Festival, which marks the arrival of spring in Japanese culture.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Cherry Blossom Festival Facts 
  2. Flower Viewing
  3. The Cherry Blossom
  4. Yes or No
  5. Picture Narrative
  6. Where in Japan
  7. Cherry Blossom Festival Wall
  8. Cherry Blossom Terms
  9. Preparing for the Festival
  10. Sing It!
  11. My Cherry Blossom Quote

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Japan celebrate cherry blossoms?

Cherry blossoms are unique because they are beautiful and don’t last very long. They remind us that life is precious. In Japan, people think of cherry blossoms when they think of nature and samurai warriors who had short but exciting lives.

How old is the cherry blossom festival in Japan?

Hanami, or the cherry blossom festival, is an ancient Japanese custom from the Nara Period. Wealthy and famous people would go to see the plum trees blooming.

What is the unique thing about cherry blossoms?

Cherry blossoms have been a symbol of new beginnings for a long time. The Japanese call them “sakura,” which means they are beautiful but fragile and not long-lasting. People think of them as a symbol of springtime because it is when everything starts to grow again – but also because cherry blossoms only last for a short time, just like life itself.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

Link will appear as Cherry Blossom Festival Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, December 8, 2022

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

Related Resources