With cherry blossoms starting to bloom across the country, many people have taken to a unique version of the traditional hanami flower viewing party by viewing artificial cherry blossoms indoors, such as in downtown restaurants.
Called "air hanami" (make-believe flower viewing party), these parties are popular apparently because you can enjoy them anytime in comfortable conditions without worrying about the weather or whether the place is too crowded -- a contrast to actual hanami.
Esola Shibuya, a wine bar in Tokyo, launched what it calls the "Ohanami Bar" on March 1.
Using wooden trellis frames and chandelier wine glass holders, the bar covered the walls and ceiling above the seats and bar counters with 3,000 artificial cherry blossoms, which look like weeping cherry blossoms.
Viccess, which operates the bar, examined how the branches on cherry blossom trees spread and tried various ways to make them look like real cherry trees.
The bar's menu includes pink cocktails and pink wine, both with edible cherry blossoms drifting in them, as well as steak and sweets that highlight cherry blossoms.
On Friday nights and weekends, the bar is crowded with groups of after-work businesspeople, couples and others. It has received high praise, with one customer saying, "It's gorgeous here, and I can fully enjoy the mood of hanami."
Many people enjoy taking pictures, and the bar is introduced as an "air hanami" spot on social media sites.
The great indoors
"Air hanami" began attracting attention after the bar did a similar event last spring, and it has spread across the country this year.
Kurand Sake Market, a sake specialty shop where customers can try about 100 kinds of sake brands from around the country, launched a similar campaign in early March at all eight of its stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The campaign is so popular that some stores are fully booked even on weekday nights.
The Beer Hall Lion Ginza 7-chome store in Tokyo has also decorated its brick walls and ceiling with elaborate artificial cherry blossoms.
People can enjoy such "air hanami" parties beyond the Tokyo area as well, such as at the Tachibana barbecue restaurant in Kita Ward, Osaka.
These are all seasonal events in tandem with the cherry blossom viewing season. According to a company organizing such an event, the actual cherry blossom season is usually short, and many people are hesitant to do traditional hanami out of concern for wind and rain, the cold, hay fever, crowds and other reasons.
"Air hanami" parties effectively eliminate these concerns, allowing people to enjoy hanami in more comfortable conditions.
There are moves to attract foreign tourists as well. The Prince Park Tower Tokyo in the Shibakoen area of Tokyo opened a "Sakura Cafe" featuring hanami within the hotel on March 24. Using Japanese lanterns, it creates a fantastical space decorated in pale pink.
Hanami at home
There are also ways to enjoy hanami at home. Weathernews Inc., based in Chiba, offers a free online service where users can view cherry blossoms in virtual reality using a smartphone application.
The company made a 360-degree video of about 50 hanami spots shot with a high-definition camera last year. If a user wears special goggles, it can feel as though they're actually there.
Sazaby League Ltd., which runs the household items brand Afternoon Tea Living, helps customers enjoy "air hanami" at home.
For their campaign, the Tokyo-based company is offering about 90 kinds of daily and interior items, such as tableware and mugs featuring cherry blossom designs and diffusers that emit the aroma of cherry blossoms, at their stores and online. Women in their 20s and 30s tend to buy them, the company said.
"It's possible to further increase the beauty of the blossoms by incorporating the decorations with imaging technology and cuisine," said Keiji Otaka, designer for spatial decorations such as hanami. "['Air hanami'] likely will become more popular in the future because it allows people to relax and enjoy their gorgeous surroundings easily."
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
