hanami

American  

[hah-nah-mee] / hɑˈnɑ mi /

noun

Japanese.

1. a seasonal outdoor event or period of time for enjoying the short-lived flowering of certain plants, especially cherry trees.

   For our annual hanami we picnic into the night, with paper lanterns hung on the branches to illuminate the cherry blossoms.

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Etymology

Origin of hanami

First recorded in 1890–95; from Japanese, from hana “flower” + mi “viewing”

Example Sentences

Across the nation families and friends rolled out blankets and tarpaulins at parks, temples and even cemeteries over the weekend to eat and drink under cherry trees for traditional "hanami" or flower viewing gatherings.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

The tradition of enjoying blossoms between March and May in Japan is known as "hanami", or "flower viewing", and carries deep cultural significance.

From BBC • May 1, 2025

In Japan, the ancient tradition of enjoying cherry blossoms is called hanami — “flower viewing.”

From Seattle Times • Apr. 5, 2023

The president wouldn’t get his hanami, the flower-contemplation ritual the Japanese celebrate every spring.

From New York Times • Mar. 25, 2023

The hanami, or picnic to famous places to view certain flowers as they bloom in their season, though not belonging strictly to city life, forms one of the greatest of the pleasures of city people.

From Japanese Girls and Women Revised and Enlarged Edition by Bacon, Alice Mabel