The Japanese tradition of Hanami
“花見” —日本賞花文化
Japan has long been a popular tourist destination for people worldwide. Travelers love to experience the country’s unique culture, stunning sites, and delicious cuisine. Springtime is a particularly popular period to visit. Cherry blossoms, or sakura, are in full bloom, and tourists and locals alike can take part in hanami.
__1__ The word hanami literally translates to “flower viewing.” While hanami can be as simple as taking a stroll through a park with blooming cherry trees, the activity is typically much more elaborate. __2__ They can spend the entire day eating food, chatting with their companions, and of course, enjoying the beautiful scenery.
While there is some debate about the origins of this tradition, most people believe it started during the Nara period from 710 to 794. __3__ The first hanami festival that celebrated cherry blossoms was organized by Emperor Saga during the Heian period. By the time of the Edo period from 1603 to 1868, the trend to hold cherry blossom viewing parties had spread from the nobility to the general public. Hanami has only grown in popularity since then.
Participating in hanami can be beneficial to people’s mental health. Relaxing in a park surrounded by the soft pink hues of cherry blossoms can help relieve stress and calm the mind. __4__ The anti-inflammatory properties of cherry blossom extracts provide relief from redness, rashes, and irritations. Furthermore, cherry blossoms are rich in antioxidants that help cleanse the skin. So if you visit Japan in the spring, enjoy cherry blossoms’ mental and physical benefits.日本一直以來都是世界各地人們的熱門旅遊目的地。遊客熱愛體驗該國的獨特文化、令人驚豔的場所，以及美味的佳餚。春天更是特別受歡迎的旅遊時節。櫻花（日文稱sakura）滿開，遊客和當地人都可以參與花見。花見是日本在春天櫻花盛開時賞花的傳統。Hanami一詞字面上譯成「花
見」。雖然花見可以是很簡單的在有著盛放櫻花樹的公園裡散步，但這個活動通
常都要複雜得多。親朋好友們會在一大早前往開滿櫻花的公園並鋪好野餐墊。他們可以花一整天的時間吃東西、與同伴聊天，當然還有欣賞美麗的景緻。
雖然對於這項傳統的起源有一些爭論，但大多數人認為其始於710至794年的奈良時代。在當時，日本皇室一開始是賞梅花，這是從中國傳播出去的活
動。最初慶祝櫻花的花見節慶是在平安時代由嵯峨天皇所舉辦的。到了1603至1868年間的江戶時代，舉行賞櫻派對的流行從貴族傳到了平民大眾。從那時起，花見的受歡迎程度只增不減。
參與花見對人們的心理健康可能有好處。在公園裡的淡粉色櫻花包圍下放鬆，有助於紓壓和平靜心靈。此外，櫻花也以對身體有益而聞名。櫻花萃取物的抗發炎特性可以緩解發紅、疹子和發炎。另外，櫻花也富含抗氧化物，可以
幫助清潔皮膚。所以如果你在春天造訪日本，就好好享受櫻花所帶來的身心靈
好處吧。