Popular Foods to enjoy during Hanami Cherryblossoms viewing
I may be a little bit late writing about this blog but the spring we have in Japan right now is earlier than last year! Sounds really cool as I looked forward to spring and witness the amazing flowers in bloom. Of course one of the main events to experience is hanami or cherry blossom viewing but it’s not complete without food to enjoy.
No worries though even if Tokyo has its cherry blossoms peak season last week, you can still enjoy last-minute hanami when the petals started to fall down and form a beautiful pink carpet on the ground. To give you ideas on what to bring to your picnic, I listed down five food groups to choose from and make your experience more memorable!
Related post: https://www.tanboblog.org/what-you-need-to-know-about-japans-cherry-blossoms-season/
1. Sushi of all kinds
Sushi is an all-time favorite Japanese food because of its fresh and healthy ingredients. It comes in many types and it is easy to eat when you are out and about. You can eat them with your hands and in fact, that is how Japanese people eat their sushi. Take your pick whether it’s nigiri, norimaki, temaki, or uramaki. All of them taste great with soy sauce and a little bit of wasabi!
Image by -Rita-👩🍳 und 📷 mit ❤ from Pixabay
2. Sakura-themed sweets
You can never go wrong with sakura-inspired sweets in the spring season! It comes in the form of wagashi such as sakura mochi. They are usually pink in color to resemble the sakura flower and are individually wrapped in a sakura leaf. Some sakura-flavored sweets also come in Western-style confectioneries like cookies and madeleine tea cakes topped with the flower.
3. Grilled dishes like Takoyaki
Grilled dishes such as takoyaki and karaage are perfect for picnics and flower viewing because of their bite-sized shapes. They are also famous street foods in Japanese festivals and for sure, they lightened up every outdoor party!
4. Noodles
Noodles like yakisoba add a festive experience to the picnic. It’s a one-dish meal which is a combination of meat, noodles, and various vegetables. Because of its lack of broth and easy to prepare, yakisoba remains an all-time convenient outdoor party food.
Image by ai subarasiki from Pixabay
5. Rice balls
A hanami party is not complete with rice balls! Easy and convenient, it comes in many flavors and types. During cherry blossom season, the most famous rice ball is the sakura onigiri. With their slightly salty and floral fragrance, these cherry blossom rice balls are an absolute treat for everyone!
Drinks
So every party has its own drinks and most adults enjoy Japanese sake with their favorite food. Depending on the weather on your hanami, sometimes it feels cold and a cup of hot green tea is a perfect choice! if it feels a bit warm and sunny, try making mocktails out of your favorite fruits and that definitely brightens up your party!
Hanami or cherry blossom viewing is a traditional Japanese custom way back many centuries ago. I always cherish this beautiful season with good foods that capture the essence of spring because cherry blossoms last only two weeks every year.
Feature image by Jamie Nakamura from Pixabay
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