At this moment thousands of people in Japan are enjoying the Ohanami (Cherry blossom viewing). The Ohanami dates back to the Heian period (794 to 1185), when aristocrats sang songs and played Kemari (an elegant form of football), while admiring the cherry blossom.
Gradually, after that, farmers began to hold parties under the cherry blossom, to pray for a good harvest. Then in the Edo period, in the late 17th century, many ordinary people began to join in, celebrating the cherry blossom, particularly visiting temples and shrines to enjoy the spectacle. In the early 18th century, the eighth Shogun Yoshimune planted thousands of cherry blossom trees at different sites around Tokyo, including Asukayama and the Sumida River Embankment, to encourage the people to enjoy cherry blossom viewing. Hundreds of years later, these same cherry blossom trees still flourish every Spring, giving thousands of visitors huge pleasure.