Hanami is literally “flower viewing”. Japanese people appreciate cherry (Sakura) blossoms greatly. Since cherry blossoms remain in bloom only for a few days, they were formerly considered a reminder that this world is mutable and impermanent.
During the cherry blossom season, newspapers provide sakura-dayori (cherry blossom reports), which can be a handy guide for the viewers in deciding when and where to enjoy beautiful cherry blossoms.
When they bloom, usually late March to early April, people go on a picnic. Sitting under the cherry trees, they enjoy the beauty of the blossoms. And they enjoy foods and drinks under the trees.
This annual custom started as a Buddhist ceremony among court nobles of the twelfth century. It gained widespread popularity by the seventeenth century. It still remains popular, though the religious implication has died out.
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