Swing into Spring with a Picnic under the Cherry Blossoms: Top Tips for a Perfect Hanami Picnic!

Spring is when Japan’s sakura (flowering cherry) trees wake up from their winter slumber with a glorious display of blossoms, drawing crowds for hanami, or cherry-blossom viewing. This yearly custom is not to be missed, so pull up a picnic rug and enjoy a tasty Japanese bento under the soft-pink blossoms with these top picnic tips for your hanami.

Assemble picnic materials that reflect the season

It doesn’t cost much to create an attractive and delicious hanami picnic. Many 100-yen shops in Japan sell paraphernalia in a cherry-blossom motif, including paper plates, food items, tablecloths, sakura-shaped cookie cutters, and bunting. Have fun creating the ideal setup for your picnic, and be sure to use any left-over decorations in packed lunches you make throughout the season.

Taste spring with seasonal bento recipes

To truly enjoy the taste of Japan’s springtime, incorporate some quintessential spring foods into your picnic bento. Try these easy vegan recipes for a tasty picnic lunch that everybody can enjoy.

Nanohana (rapeseed) ohitashi salad

• Ingredients:
• 1 bunch nanohana (rapeseed)
• 200 ml vegetable or kombu stock
• 1½ tsp soy sauce
• 1½ tsp mirin

Method:

1. Soak the nanohana in water for 10 minutes, then cut into bite-size pieces.
2. Boil the stems in lightly salted water for 30 seconds, then add the leafy sections and boil for a further 30 seconds. Drain completely.
3. Combine the stock, soy sauce, and mirin. Soak the boiled vegetable in this mixture for as long as you like. Drain any excess liquid and enjoy!

Takenoko (bamboo shoot) rice

• Ingredients:
• 2 cups (500 ml) uncooked rice
• 200 g takenoko (bamboo shoot)
• 1 aburaage (deep-fried tofu pouch)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp cooking sake
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 2 tsp powdered-kombu stock

Method:

1. Cut the takenoko and aburaage into bite-size pieces.
2. Add the uncooked rice, the takenoko and aburaage pieces, and the liquid ingredients to a rice cooker, then add water up to the appropriate level.
3. Turn on the rice cooker. Mix the contents well when finished cooking.

Don’t forget spring cleaning

A picnic under the cherry blossoms can be a great way to get into the spirit of spring, but why stop there? Use the season’s arrival as an incentive to spring clean your house from top to bottom with Kurashinity’s premium housekeeping service! Our English-speaking housekeepers can refresh your house, leaving you free to delight to your heart’s content in Japan’s beautiful spring scenery. Book Kurashinity’s Initial Trial Service today, and discover how your house can become sparkling clean in time for spring!

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