One of the best times of the year in Japan has arrived… spring and the cherry blossom season.
The cherry blossom, or sakura in Japanese, is the national flower of Japan, and you see them everywhere in anime, manga, and movies!

The best way to enjoy them, is お花見 ohanami, the cherry blossom viewing.
It is something that a lot of Japanese people look forward to doing every year.

But since when and why do we do it?
Why is it so important?
And did you know that there are some sacred sakura trees that are more than 2,000 years old?

So today, as a Japanese man born and living in Kyoto, a city famous for its beautiful cherry blossoms in spring, I will explain about the history of cherry blossom viewing, and why this flower is so special to us.

In the latter part of the video, I will also explain the “three major cherry blossoms,” and ways to actually enjoy cherry blossom viewing today.

[Time codes]
0:00 Let's START!
1:48 The history of “Ohanami”
7:01 Why Japanese love cherry blossoms so much
9:56 The 3 major cherry blossom trees
12:05 How to enjoy “Ohanami”
14:57 Today’s conclusion
17:47 “Omake” talk

▼Who is Shogo? What is this channel about?▼
https://youtu.be/-sTVV4iwf4M

▼Related videos in this channel▼
-What are the 5 main differences between Shrines & Temples? The 3 most recommended in Kyoto!
https://youtu.be/Ll696KfKjEc

-All you need to know about the traditions of New Year in Japan! Shogatsu food & celebration
https://youtu.be/4qhrUCXN4Dk

-Visiting the "ox" shrine on New Year's Day 2021 / Kitano Tenmangu Shrine -Kyoto Family Vlog
https://youtu.be/uEAMMaB5Z48

▼[For YOU traveling to Kyoto] Check out the "Kyoto Hidden Gems" that we introduce▼
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▼MY DREAM▼
“To make every Japan lovers’ dream come true,
by making Japan a more secure, comfortable, and safer place for everyone to visit, study, and live in”

♢10,000↑ subscribers milestone♢
Interviewing and introducing people working with Japanese traditional culture to spread their work

♢100,000↑ subscribers milestone♢
Restarting a cultural experience facility where anyone can experience Japanese culture, and creating employment for foreigners
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♢1,000,000↑ subscribers milestone♢
Opening an online shop to sell traditional craftwork in order to protect the precious culture
(Example: Pottery, dyeing, kimonos, etc.)

▼Shogo’s profile▼
Hello everyone, and thank you for watching my videos!

I’m Shogo, a Kyoto born & Hiroshima raised Japanese, that grew up in Michigan USA for 6 years, and studied Mandarin in Beijing university for a year!
I live in Kyoto now, as I train in Iaido(katana), Sado(tea ceremony), and Noh theatre(traditional stage art).

In this channel, you can take a closer look at Japanese traditional culture, tips on traveling to Kyoto, and social problems in Japan.
So learners and lovers of Japanese language and culture, be sure to subscribe to enjoy more content!

If you enjoyed this video, please hit the LIKE button, and share with your friends and family!
My goal is “to achieve 100,000 subscribers by January 2022”, so your help would mean a lot!

▼Special thanks to…▼
Kazumasa Ito: My best friend who also spent his childhood in America. Thank you for always checking my English as a professional translator.

Harumi Shin: A talented web designer and my better half. Your video editing skills and creative thumbnails are essential for this channel.

Hinata Yamaguchi: Energetic and always happy, but a little bit shy. Having a daughter like you, makes me the happiest person on Earth.

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#hanami #kyotocherryblossom #kyotosakuraseason #sakuraviewing #cherryblossomviewing