Inflation dents budgets for cherry blossom viewing in Japan

Those people are making sense if you don't have money don't spend that much. Even last week there was wage hike announcement it's limited to big companies, most ordinary Taro work in small medium company which won't see those hike.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2023/11/07/economy/japan-wages-spending-down/

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Small medium enterprise employed 68% workforce in Japan, more that big companies.

https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/a4e7ef59-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/a4e7ef59-en

When asked in a multiple-choice question where they planned to travel to in order to see the blossoms, the largest at 73.1 percent picked a "location nearby, during the daytime,"

If 73% are viewing blossoms at a location nearby, the “mean” cost is likely far lower than the “average” cost of 6,872 yen per person.

Why do you need to spend money to look at a tree? Sakura are everywhere here.

Why do you need to spend money to look at a tree? Sakura are everywhere here.

Because this IS Japan and folks want to go where the media tells them the "BEST" place to view the blossoms is at here.

Plus those chu-hais have gone up in price too! Can't see the blossoms without some alcohol!

factcheckerToday  07:29 am JST

Why do you need to spend money to look at a tree? Sakura are everywhere here.

why have an onigiri near a lonely tree or two, when you can spend money to travel and buy a more expensive bento while jammed packed with thousands of other people?

They are cherry trees absolutely everywhere. Just need to go to one in your neighborhood, and you will just have to spend the price of a can of beer! And it is much better than in a crowded place like Ueno.

That’s right!

Let’s blame inflation for not being able to go and sit in a park or on a riverbank whilst watching pink petals swirl around in spring breezes!

Who writes this tripe?

Consumers feel pressure from Yen falling approx. 50% vs. USD last 3yrs, excess Japanese Govt. Spending, etc.

Look closely, impact everywhere including Hanami, real wages falling for several years in yen terms, dollar terms, total collapse, Japan's GDP per capita if excluding Govt. Deficit, spending, well below $30K, by far poorest in G-7.

You can go for a walk, take a train or other transport, head out to the mountains at any time, and see cherry blossoms at no cost.

Everything is so overly commercialized, theres an average cost on flower viewing

My local park is full of cherry trees.

I can take a flask of tea and a couple of sandwiches-300 yen all in!

The best things in life are free and not for sale and that includes your child's love, affection and Hanami!

60 million Japanese will view the Sakura blossoms. Our local Himeji Castle Park will be visited by many hundreds of thousands.

If you read the word 'inflation' in the news, it means big corporations are making a $killing.

Regarding estimate, thought I can not be sure, I think they calculate for the overall period, not just one time. Hanami is a social event so will have to go with several group you are part off : work, friends, activity teammates, family, ... so for some people it can be a lot. Mixed with the one which actually use the opportunity to take a trip or have costly taste/habit, that do not seems so unreasonable, I think.

Our local resident association provided ¥6,000 to each household for the Hanami celebration.

Why do you need to spend money to look at a tree? Sakura are everywhere here.

Not only spend money just to look sakura but also spend more on post hanami drinking event with coworker or with old friends. This part is important especially many drinking place they depend on this season for their revenue. Especially recent generation in Japan tend to drink less.

https://www.npr.org/2022/08/25/1119480772/japan-is-urging-its-youth-to-drink-more-alcohol

Can't see the blossoms without some alcohol!

Yes you can. I‘ve been doing it every year since forever.

Our local resident association provided ¥6,000 to each household for the Hanami celebration.

Your local taxes are obviously ¥6,000 too high.

Our local resident association provided ¥6,000 to each household for the Hanami celebration.

Not so noble when there are about 50 residents in that hamlet.

Inflation dents budgets for cherry blossom viewing in Japan

Inflation dents budgets for EVERYTHING around the world..

I thought salaries increased???? other BS as usual....

Not only for cherry-blossom.

Japan nowadays is the foreign tourist paradise due to Yen crash. Sadly Japan has become a tourist based economy, but not for the locals, who cannot afford it anymore due to rampant inflation and very weak Yen.

Who lives in Kyoto, Hiroshima, etc, perfectly understands this...

Japan nowadays is the foreign tourist paradise due to Yen crash. Sadly Japan has become a tourist based economy, but not for the locals, who cannot afford it anymore due to rampant inflation and very weak Yen.

Spot on.

Friends from Canada are over and they cannot believe how cheap Japan is for them.

On the other hand only a very few Japanese friends have been on a trip anywhere post-Covid.

Why bother? It's exactly the same thing every year. Don't people get bored of the same motifs and pink "special products"? I know I do, and so do some of my Japanese friends. It feels like I am trapped in a time loop. It's a gaudy evocation of spring while all the subtle things are totally missed. I see people taking photos of exactly the same thing they have taken for years and likely never look at them.

We declare that thou shalt hanami and thou's spending signifies something.

We have trees in our garden. Its a yamazakura, not a yoshino, I can see a large one now out of the window. As other posters indicate, its a bit pointless averaging folks having a picnic with a few others having a slapup trip to a hotel somewhere, just when that somewhere has peak demand and has jacked up the prices.

I'll just give my yearly reminder to anyone going to evening hanami with folks from work that it can get very cold, far too cold for OLs and admittedly now 55 year old me to stick around long under illuminated trees. My experience was that such trips inevitably descended into trips to chain izakayas, the only places capable of taking a group of 10. Plan ahead if you don't want be be stuck in a "what do we do, the girls are cold?" conference that wastes good drinking time.

The dogwood trees (hanamizuki) will be out in flower in a month. The weather will be warmer and there will be no crowds of people sitting under them. Or wait for the wysteria (fuji) this year. It's still hanami, except the "hana" is different.

zibala

Our local resident association provided ¥6,000 to each household for the Hanami celebration.

> Not so noble when there are about 50 residents in that hamlet.

As usual wrong again. There are many hundreds.

In the UK, Cherry Blossoms are really staring to bloom. One can drive past several on a daily commute (according to my daughter). No need to spend money viewing them.

For example, one product that was priced 298 yen now became 398 yen, or even if same price its content was 40 percent reduced.

But, income isn't increased besides wealth people.

The plum blossom used to hold a significant place in Japanese art and culture before it was replaced by the Sakura blossom.

People spend money because they are doing the traditional thing of having a (boozy) picnic.

To me, this is vastly preferable to just walking past the trees in a crowd while someone with a loudhailer tells you to keep moving. That's what hanami has become in very famous spots on busy days. These days, half the people in the crowd will be looking at the trees through their smartphone camera, making it even worse.

People planning to go to see the flowers will likely spend an average of 6,872 yen per person

Good god! All it takes is the price of a bento and a beer for a total of 5-600 yen. 300 yen if you're going with onigir.

I never go to the maxed out hanabi joints anymore. I'll have a grove of gorgeous Somei Yoshino blooming right aroung the corner from my house next to a river and I picnic there about five to ten times every year - usually 3-400 yen for onigiri and coffee or homemade leftovers and sandwiches.

"The word 'sakura' itself appeared in the Nara Period (710-794) and is contained in Japan's oldest existing collection of poetry, the Manyoshu. 'Sa' was written as the word 'god' (神), and particularly referred to the god of rice paddies. 'Kura' represented a pedestal used to honor a god with offerings of food and sake."

https://savvytokyo.com/history-of-hanami-cherry-blossom-viewing-over-the-ages/#:~:text=The%20word%20'sakura'%20itself%20appeared,offerings%20of%20food%20and%20sake.

I think plum blossom was originally a Chinese thing. But give me plum blossom over garish cherry blossom any day.

...although a larger number of people are expected to enjoy the popular seasonal event in Japan compared to last year...

This is the most relevant part of the article. Hanami will be more crowded this year. So, it will be even less pleasurable at popular sites. Gonna hafta do a little deeper research to find less crowded spots, this year.

And, of course, avoid weekends and holidays, if any.

AndyToday  09:00 am JST

If you read the word 'inflation' in the news, it means big corporations are making a $killing.

Corp's making a killing, price $gouging but only because Biden increased US money supply about 50% in 2021 and 2022, record %, setting off global inflation, high US interest rates and VERY weak Yen and Strong $.

People in Japan, feel the loss of their purchasing power every day, including spending on things like Hanami. US and European tourists not impacted, but most in world suffer high inflation due to their currency depreciation. Whether Hanami in Japan or recreational activities elsewhere, most have far less to spend.

Most now have to focus more on necessities, not recreation, across the world, including Japan's Hanami.

HopeSpringsEternalToday 03:16 pm JST

AndyToday  09:00 am JST

If you read the word 'inflation' in the news, it means big corporations are making a $killing.

Corp's making a killing, price $gouging but only because Biden increased US money supply about 50% in 2021 and 2022, record %, setting off global inflation, high US interest rates and VERY weak Yen and Strong $.

So I guess de-dollarization is not happening. The US federal reserve had the room to act against inflation and did.

BRICS policy is de-dollarization, that's happening, just like Hanami Season! $based global inflation is #1 reason so many countries now seeking BRICS Membership.

People in Japan clearly link $US strength with their household budget inflation as well, including Hanami. 50% drop in Yen value in 3 years, severe inflation, thus less spending on recreational activities like Hanami.

Did take a close check in my neighborhood today, trees that always bloom first, the little ones were excited, but alas, we'll have to wait at least one more day!

Important to recognize source of inflation on recreational activities across world, including Hanami in Japan.

50% Yen depreciation did not happen in vacuum. rather Biden Admin policy choices, especially record money supply growth and deficit spending.

Also important, its global inflation not just Japan, most countries far worse, MANY more starving as result.

Discussion of inflation and Hanami, good one for society to better grasp. While Hanami a great activity, inflation's a cancer damaging this activity and all activities and life in general for most people on the planet.

Let's not Coldly ignore the Harsh Global Inflation Reality.

Overrated experience. Seeing them from the train as it goes by is enough for me and damn near everyone I know. Budget: zero.

Really atmosphere, temporal nature of beauty, being with friends and family, hopeful for positive renewal in new year etc., that's the main attraction I believe.

Hopefully people not too pre-occupied with inflation, that would be pity as it's not something within our control, horse already out the barn, etc. So, breathing deeply and enjoying nice walk, in order to reduce stress.

Will be spending exactly zero yen. You know what they say about fools and their money.

Moonraker: "Why bother? It's exactly the same thing every year."

Precisely! I remember when I used to take photos of them, back in the age you went to a camera shop and paid for physical prints. Not too long ago cleaned out my closet and threw away quite a few pics of the exact same thing. Waste of time, waste of money. Cherry and plum blossoms on all the trees lining parks and what not are quite the thing to behold, in person, I will admit. But the blue tarps, drunks, pollution, public urination, spitting, vomiting, kids and parents creating a ruckus... not quite as much.

What I find funny about this is how locals will inevitably complain about foreign tourists flocking to the popular sights if they get the timing right.

Funny how other places say something different!

Half empty/half full!

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/03/15/japan/society/hanami-economic-impact/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=iwar2eetz34ljn8dm7lzxyo-d-imblswkkj1qzlzkcxrhroqagp6ilfszskqg#Echobox=1710515077