It is sakura - cherry blossom season in Japan. It has been a long-standing tradition that the Japanese people celebrate the blooming of the sakura. The ohanami (sakura viewing party) start every year when sakura blooms. All the big parks in Japan will be packed with hanami parties at this time of the year. The parks are often so full that people will take towels and tarpaulin to the park a few days before the weekend to reserve the better spots. What is even more amazing is that the spot will still be reserved a few days after as people will respect other people's property! The ohanami parties will often last late into the night, there will also be street food vendors selling food like takoyaki, yakisoba, yakitori and taiyaki. People will also bring their own bento boxes and drinks.
The Japanese people believed that when the sakura blooms for long time, that there will be a second harvest in autumn. That is why we still celebrate spring today with sake and bento! (Buy bento box here!)
Sake that is drunk at hanami parties is called hanami-zake. It is a tradition that sake is drunk at these parties. Junmai sake is the best sake for an outside party as it doesn't change the flavour with the spring heat. Celebrate spring with some sake!
Dassai 39 is one of the best sake for outdoor parties!
Also, you can mix some of our fruits sake with strawberry milk and you can easily make spring cocktail!