What a fun week it has been. We went on a lot of walks in Goryokaku park this week. The occasion? It's officially the start of Hanami. Hanami is the tradition of going out when the Sakura Trees (桜 - さくら) bloom. Sakura is the Japanese word for Cheery Blossoms. Hanami literally translated means "flower viewing" : Hana - はな - flower, Mi - み - viewing; but the term is designated for Sakura alone, no other flower is referenced. The tradition goes back hundreds of years and is one of the most anticipated events of the year. In Japan the Cherry trees bloom for about one week. During this time families will go out and celebrate by picnicking, holding barbecues, and playing games together. It is a way of celebrating life. Sakura blossoms are only here for a short period of time before they fall to the ground to rest. This is seen to reflect life. It is seen as an example that although life is brief, it is beautiful and should be filled with joy. I think that's poetic, don't you.
We went early in the week to look at the first blossoms. Goryokaku Park is actually a popular gathering spot to view the flowers and people from all over the country come to visit. This is because Goryokaku has an abundance of Sakura Trees. We got drinks and enjoyed a few peaceful minutes underneath the trees. Afterwards we walked around the south side of the park and enjoyed the view.
My next visit to the park for Hanami was on Saturday. We went together with Human Mix, a student club here on campus. We played games and ate snacks. The students were divided into group with a mix of Japanese and foreign students. The first game was Hanami bingo. Each team was given a bingo slip and words were called out and crossed off. Your truly got first place together with my teammates and we received a bag of fluffy cake pastries as a reward. The second game involved a bit more ingenuity. We were once again divided into teams. The goal this time was to take as many pictures as possible based on a given list of themes. Poses were struck, faces were made, and a bit of hilarity ensued. it's actually quite difficult to make five people look like a squid. Our team received second place and a bag, full of smaller bags, full of tiny koala shaped pastries filled with chocolate. Quite delicious. I should probably also mention that we did all this in freezing weather. There was a lite drizzle of rain while we were at the park and the sky was gray and overcast. My had and feet were purple by the time we concluded the party but we had a marvelous time. I quite enjoyed the warm shower and cup of tea I had at home afterwards. Next time the weather gets that cold I believe I may wear a snowsuit.
My last and final visit to the park for Sakura viewing was Sunday. What a lovely day that was. We had clear skies and plenty of sun to soak in. We went together with the Japanese Salon, a group that meets every Saturday to study Japanese. Everyone brought a lunch item, snack, or drink. We all enjoyed a lovely picnic. People played a game that seems to be a mix between mother-may-i, blind-mans-bluff, and freeze (If my memory is correct.) The designated "It" person turns away from the approaching players and begin to count, turning around at intervals to look behind and stop players from moving. When "It" is turned towards the tree the players approach using a variety of movements, shuffling, scissor walks, and tip-toe was involved. If you are caught moving when "IT" turns around you must remain in place until a teammate rescues you or the "IT" is tagged by another player. We played another game called "Dragons Tail." All players line up together. The player at the front, or the "dragon's head," tries to catch the player at the end, the "dragon's tail." The players in the middle have to move around to keep the head from catching the tail but they cannot break the line.
After the party a few of us went to Goryokaku Tower. From a height of 86 meters one can look down at the Sakura trees as well as the city of Hakodate. There are two viewing floors. The first at 86 meters, the second at 90 meters. There are sections in the floor where you can see through to the ground. If you are a person who does not deal well with heights, this may not be for you. However they do have a lovely souvenir shop on the ground floor if that is more your speed. There are various historical paraphernalia on all floors and a rather lovely cafe that overlooks the park. There is even a miniature-scale model of the park that you can see through the floor just before you get into the elevator to get to the viewing platforms.
So whatever your'e fancy, there is a little something for everyone when going to Goryokaku for Hanami.