Spring blossoms: Where to soak up Japanese culture in Prague this Hanami season

Every year, Japan celebrates the arrival of spring and the transient beauty of nature with Hanami, a key Japanese tradition of the cherry blossom season spent with friends and loved ones under the flower blooms and sunny weather (let’s hope so at least).

But no need to travel to Japan. After all, even some Japanese towns and cities have started cancelling their cherry blossom festival this year due to Instagram-fueled overtourism.

Thanks to Prague’s Japanese and Japanophile community, authentic traditions from the Land of the Rising Sun are coming to Prague this Saturday, April 25, with two main events set to celebrate Hanami and other Japanese traditions.

For those who won't be around for this weekend's festivities, we have put together a year-round list of Japanese culture tips curated by czechoneko, an Instagram account created by Martina Krajňáková, a Slovak-born Prague local and former student of social anthropology and Japanese at the School of Oriental Studies in London. (Scroll down to the bottom to read Martina's tips.)

For the 7th year, the Czech Japanese Association is importing the peace, serenity and communal spirit of authentic Hanami celebrations to Hřiště Růžák, a playground in Prague 6’s Hanspaulka district with actual Sakura trees.

Open to all, the event will be held on Saturday from 11 am to 6 pm. “It is a Japanese-style picnic, focused on enjoying nature and spending time with friends – just as Hanami is traditionally celebrated in Japan,” Ondřej Hýbl, a Japanologist and director of the Czech Japanese association, tells us.

“The atmosphere is peaceful and open, creating space for Czech and Japanese families, as well as people of all nationalities, to come together and share the experience,” he says.

The festival will open in the morning with the traditional Sakura Sakura dance celebrating the coming of spring, and will this year also have a guided walk around Hanspaulka to look for hidden traces of Japan in the district.

What else can you expect:

Also this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., the Strahov Monastery plans to celebrate Hanami and the arrival of spring with a bonanza of Japanese-themed performances, parades and activities.

“Hanami connects Japanese culture, gastronomy and brewing in the unique setting of the Strahov Monastery,” says festival organizer Marek Kocvera. “Every year, we aim to expand the program and create an authentic spring celebration for our visitors.”

This second event will start with a colorful samurai parade, heading from the monastery through the city center and back before noon, when the main part of the festival will begin.

For the occasion, the brewery will prepare and serve a Special Sakura Amber Ale. Those who prefer something a bit stronger can also do a tasting of the Japanese Nikka whiskey. And since drinking on an empty stomach isn’t the best idea, a selection of Japanese cuisine and sweet Japanese treats will also be available throughout the day.

What else is on the program?

Hanami or not, Japanese culture is available in Prague all year long. Here's a list of expert tips from Czecho Neko on what to do and where to go depending on the season.