It’s that time of year again! In Japan spring has started and things are slowly warming up. Japan is a country with four clearly distinct seasons and celebrates these seasons accordingly. Spring is of course a season of new beginnings both in personal and business life, since it marks both the fiscal- and schoolyear ending in March and starting in April. Many types of events take place to mark these transitions. What also coincides with these changes and has become a symbol for Japanese spring all around the world, is the blooming of sakura, the cherry blossom. Let’s have a quick look at what this means in Japan, and how you can tie it to your business events as well.

Sakura (Cherry Blossom) in Japanese Culture

The bright pink cherry blossom has been celebrated in Japanese culture for centuries. As mentioned above, it is a symbol for change, new beginnings, as well as the concept of transience due to its beautiful but limited bloom. Wherever you look in Japanese culture, whether it be poetry, literature, film, et cetera, it has been an endless source of inspiration for many artists as well.

Since Japan is a geographically long nation covering different climates, the bloom starts in the south in March, and generally moves north like a wave through the country, finishing in the north at the end of April. Some people travel throughout Japan during this period to visit specific locations at their most beautiful in full bloom. A common custom in Japan is to do hanami, which nowadays means laying out a blue tarp underneath the sakura (cherry blossom) and having an elaborate picnic, usually including alcoholic beverages.

Event Locations & Venues During Sakura (Cherry Blossom) Season

If you are considering having your business or other event in Japan during the spring, we advise you keep the cherry blossoms in mind. Depending on your event type and goals, there are few things more explicitly Japanese than incorporating a unique venue surrounded by blooming pink cherry trees. Especially traditional venues such as temples or Japanese gardens can look different each season, but perhaps most visually stunning during the cherry blossoms.

We at JTB Meetings & Events by JTB Communication Design (JCD) have access to a large amount of unique venues through our JTB network. But, even if you do not choose a sakura (cherry blossom) filled venue, you might still want to attach an incentive trip or tour to famous parks or other hot spots to your overall planning. A trip to Japan during spring without seeing these stunning pink vistas would be a shame, so definitely let us assist you in having an unforgettable experience.

Event Design & Decorations Inspired by Sakura (Cherry Blossom)

Whether it is during the season or outside of it, the sakura cherry blossom theme can enhance any event, if done right. If it suits your event, your entire visual style from website to printed material can be colored in pink blossoms to evoke a Japanese sense. Moreover, the event decoration can be enhanced by this as well. Especially if you go for a traditional atmosphere, both manufactured sakura branches and trees, as well as actual real branches can be used, depending on the circumstances. For example, this event was held in May and the local cherry blossom season was over, but we kept sakura tree branches refrigerated and controlled them so that they would be in full bloom at the time of this event. This way, the event guests visiting Japan could enjoy the cherry blossom even if it was not sakura viewing season.

Food & Drink for your Event Inspired by Sakura (Cherry Blossom)

As we mentioned at the outset, Japan loved to celebrate its seasons. This is reflected in almost every shop you visit, and especially during spring. From decorations to stationery to food packing, and special editions of basically any type of goods, you can find it all matching the season. This also applies to restaurants, who will have seasonal specials, either incorporating or at least dedicating themselves to sakura. From sakura flavored pink ice cream to special cocktails with actual cherry blossoms in them, and much much more. If this is something you would like to see in your event, be sure to let us know and we can discuss the countless options to incorporate sakura into your catering as well!

If you are planning an event for next year’s spring season, or have any questions about other ways to incorporate Japanese culture into your event, don’t hesitate to contact us here!