Next: about 1 to 14 Apr 2027
Hanami
Cherry blossom viewing: picnics beneath the pink trees, lanterns at night and a close following of the blossom front.
When is Hanami in 2027?
Hanami 2027 runs from 1 to 14 April 2027. The date follows the moon or a local calendar, so it can move by a day. Other years: 2026, 1 to 14 April 2026; 2028, 1 to 14 April 2028.
About Hanami
Hanami, "flower viewing", is the custom of enjoying the brief bloom of cherry blossom, sakura, which moves across Japan from the south in March to the north in late April, followed closely by the forecast issued by the weather agency. Friends, families and workmates gather under the trees on blue sheets with bento boxes, sake, green tea and sweets. Parks such as Ueno and Maruyama in Kyoto are packed, and at night, yozakura, lanterns light the trees. The practice goes back to the Heian court and was popularised in the Edo period. The short life of the flower suggests the Buddhist idea of impermanence, mono no aware, a gentle sadness for passing things. The date shown here is an approximation, and varies widely by place and year.
Hanami dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Hanami date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 to 14 April 2026 |
| 2027 | 1 to 14 April 2027 |
| 2028 | 1 to 14 April 2028 |
This date follows the moon or a local calendar and can move by a day, so check with a local source nearer the time.
What is eaten
- hanami dango
- sakuramochi
- bento
- sake
Also part of it, and being written: Sakura (The cherry blossom itself.), Mono no aware (The sensitivity to passing beauty.), Hanami dango (The three-colour dumplings of the season.).
More marked on Hanami
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Hanami" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.