The Origins of Hanami
The tradition of Hanami began sometime during the 8th century CE, after Chinese ambassadors influenced their own flower viewing celebration to the Japanese aristocrats. The Japanese aristocracy took to the celebration instantaneously and enjoyed many spring evenings sitting beneath the branches of trees in full bloom, composing poetry and enjoying good food and sake together.
Japanese emperors were known to have held feasts during the hanami and eventually the samurai class (military warriors who were not quite aristocracy, but not peasants either) began to take part hanami as well. By the 17th century, the peasant class began organising and holding their own hanami.
Initially, the blossom of choice was the ume (plum). This is a five-petal white plum blossom. By the 11th century, the pink sakura (cherry blossom) rose in popularity during the hanami, predominantly after the sakura hanami had appeared in the 11th century novel The Tale of Genji. Aside from their beauty, sakura were likely chosen because they could be used in the process of divination and predicting the success of the harvest and for agriculturally distinguishing the start of the rice planting season.
Japanese emperors were known to have held feasts during the hanami and eventually the samurai class (military warriors who were not quite aristocracy, but not peasants either) began to take part hanami as well. By the 17th century, the peasant class began organising and holding their own hanami.
Initially, the blossom of choice was the ume (plum). This is a five-petal white plum blossom. By the 11th century, the pink sakura (cherry blossom) rose in popularity during the hanami, predominantly after the sakura hanami had appeared in the 11th century novel The Tale of Genji. Aside from their beauty, sakura were likely chosen because they could be used in the process of divination and predicting the success of the harvest and for agriculturally distinguishing the start of the rice planting season.