Hanami means “flower viewing” and is the Japanese cultural tradition of viewing and cherishing each moment of the cherry blossom season. Hanami is thought to have started in Japan during the Nara period (710–794 A.D.) with the viewing of flowering apricot and plum trees. But by the Heian period, (794–1185) cherry blossoms, known as sakura, had become the celebrated spring flower.
Today at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Hanami is a New York City "rite of spring." During cherry blossom season, BBG visitors can enjoy over 200 Japanese flowering cherry trees of over 30 different species and cultivars. You can see photos of the BBG collection in various stages of bloom here
While the blooms of each tree rarely last longer than a week, many trees bloom at different times so that there are flowering trees around the garden throughout April and into early May. For the most up to date information on which trees are blooming, check out the CherryWatch map which is updated every weekday.
Since the 1980’s BBG has held an annual celebration of cherry blossoms with the Sakura Matsuri Festival, the nation’s largest event in a public garden. Visitors of all ages can enjoy music, workshops, and crafts that celebrate the culture of Japan and cherry blossoms. This year Sakura Matsuri will be on May 1 and May 2 and you can see the complete schedule of events here.
