There are two most attractive sights in Japan throughout the year, one is the cherry blossoms in spring, and the other is the red leaves in autumn.
As a long and narrow island country, Japan has a large temperature difference between the north and the south and four distinct seasons.
The cherry blossoms in Japan bloom from south to north. In March every year, the cherry blossoms begin to bloom in Ryukyu, which was forcibly occupied by Japan. By the time they bloom all over the mountains and plains of Hokkaido, it is already early summer in June.
The red leaves move in the opposite direction from north to south.
While the fallen leaves are in full bloom and light snow is falling in Hokkaido, the Kyushu region at the southern tip of Japan is still in bloom.
As for why the Japanese love these two scenery so much?
The responses Ning Weimin received from the Japanese people he knew were almost unanimous.
That's because these two plants are dedicated to the world with very pure colors when they are at their most beautiful.
For example, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, there are no leaves. As the Japanese say, they are "full of cherry blossoms."
When the maple leaves are red, they are as bright as fire, and they are not mixed with other colors.
They are all in line with Japanese aesthetics - single, simple and beautiful.
At the same time, both the flowering period of the cherry blossoms and the time the red leaves stay on the branches are very short.
It only lasts for about two weeks, and then they will wither away. It is also easy for people to feel affection and cherishment, and therefore cherish them very much.
Of course, because of this, you have to hurry up if you want to enjoy cherry blossoms or red leaves.
Otherwise, such beautiful scenery will be fleeting and you will only regret it.
There was no need for Matsumoto Keiko to take the initiative to mention this matter, Ning Weimin himself always kept it in mind.
Even out of compensation, he hoped that during the cherry blossom season in Tokyo, he could hold Matsumoto Keiko's hand and go shopping with her.
So after Qu Xiao’s mother was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment, the matter was settled, and Zhang Qiang and Cui Jian’s album recording was on track.
Ning Weimin took the initiative to mention this matter to Matsumoto Keiko, and made an appointment for a day, and decided that the two of them would make time to enjoy the cherry blossoms together.
It's just a pity that Ning Weimin still doesn't understand Japan's national conditions very well. He never expected the importance and persistence of Japanese people in cherry blossom viewing, so he didn't make the necessary preparations in advance.
So although his wish was good, things turned out to be a headache for him because there was no suitable place for him and Matsumoto Keiko to go to enjoy the flowers.
In the beginning, it was okay when the cherry blossoms were just blooming. When the flowers were about 30% to 40% in bloom, the number of people started to increase.
When the flowers are in full bloom, there will be so many people admiring them that it's a bit ridiculous.
It seems that every place in Tokyo where you can see more than a hundred cherry blossoms is overcrowded.
It’s truly the season of flowers in full bloom, and it’s even more complete.
There are crowds of people everywhere in Tokyo, and the streets are packed with people chasing cherry blossoms.
Not to mention free flower viewing spots like Ueno Park, Meguro River, and Chidorigafuchi, there is nowhere to go.
Even flower-viewing spots that require tickets such as Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, Rikugien Garden, and Asukayama Park are also overcrowded.
Moreover, the ticket price is doubled, 300 yen on weekdays and 800 yen during the cherry blossom season.
Who said Japanese people are highly qualified?
They still like to take advantage of others, and there is absolutely no ZB BBQ here.
To be honest, although Ning Weimin could predict in advance that there would be many people, he really didn't expect that there would be so many people.
The chaos in Japan is particularly similar to the May Day and National Day golden weeks in the future, when tourists from all over the country flock to the Forbidden City and the Great Wall in the capital.
Even without cars, tourists can cause traffic jams simply by walking.
And the weirdest thing is that there are so many people there not only on weekends, but also on weekdays.
Through TV news reports, Ning Weimin saw a huge crowd of people on the screen.
He couldn't figure it out, where did these people come from? Why did they look like mushroom farmers?
TM Japan has a population of just over 100 million, but it looks like they all go to Tokyo to enjoy the cherry blossoms!
Even so, you can’t even miss the class!
Don't tell me, he is still so evil.
What Ning Weimin thought was impossible was actually not far from the truth.
Although the extent is slightly different from what he estimated.
how?
It turns out that the Japanese cherry blossom viewing activity has existed since ancient times and has a long history.
It is generally believed that the cherry blossom banquet held in the palace in 812 during the Heian period is its origin.
At that time, as the envoys to the Tang Dynasty were abolished, plum blossoms no longer came east.
The idle Japanese royal family had no more plum blossoms to enjoy, so they found a new substitute - cherry blossoms.
Therefore, cherry blossom viewing in spring has become a regular annual activity in the Japanese palace.
In 1598, Toyotomi Hideyoshi held the "Daigo Flower Viewing Party" at Daigoji Temple in Kyoto, which became famous in history for its luxury and extravagance.
After entering the Edo period, cherry blossom viewing activities have expanded to the private sector and become a popular entertainment that even ordinary people in Japan can participate in.
Katsushika Hokusai's "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji" vividly depicts the scene of Edo citizens enjoying flowers.
Moreover, according to Japanese traditional customs, Japanese people do not just watch cherry blossoms, but also eat, drink, revel, and get drunk.
Because the Japanese believe that only in this way can a bumper harvest and abundant food become a reality.
It is also worth mentioning that for contemporary Japan, the time when Tokyo’s cherry blossoms bloom is also very special.
The first reason is that the academic system of Japanese schools is relatively special.
Unlike the Republic of China where students start school in September and graduate in June, Japan starts school in April and graduates in March.
Then when the cherry blossoms bloom in Tokyo, classmates who have been together for several years will break up and go their separate ways.
Many lovers who have been in love for several years in college will also kiss each other goodbye under the cherry blossom tree, expressing the final sweetness and sorrow.
Secondly, Japan’s fiscal year is different from our country’s.
In Japan, it starts on April 1st and ends on March 31st of the following year.
Therefore, for most Japanese people, April 1st is not only the beginning of a new year, but also the beginning of a new life.
Elementary school students become middle school students, middle school students become college students, and college students graduate and enter the society, thus becoming social animals.
Moreover, regardless of companies, enterprises or government agencies, the annual personnel transfer is also completed during the cherry blossom season.
So some people have been promoted, some have retired, and some are about to be sent to work in other places or foreign countries.
So this season has become the time when Tokyoites gather the most.
Basically every company, every department of every company, will hold a party under the blooming cherry blossom tree and gather people to drink.
You can always see joy and tears under almost every cherry blossom tree.
That's not all. Don't forget that Japan's economic rise in recent years has also made Japan's retired elderly generally wealthy.
And precisely because of Japan's special long and narrow land, there is a time lag in the cherry blossom blooming period. Many Japanese elderly people who are healthy, have money and leisure have become "cherry chasers".
They hung up their cameras and walked around, chasing the cherry blossoms from the southernmost tip of Japan to the northernmost tip.
Tokyo is a very important stop on their journey, and almost every Sakura chaser has to come.
In addition, there are already a lot of foreigners in Tokyo, and they are also interested in such gorgeous cherry blossom scenery.
Nowadays, due to the appreciation of the yen, foreign capital from all over the world is pouring into this treasure land, and more foreigners are also sweeping in.
When all these factors come together, Tokyo's population will explode.
To say there are 100 million may be a bit exaggerated, but over 20 million is definitely nearly double the permanent population of Tokyo before the flower season.
To put it simply, today, although cherry blossom viewing is not a legal holiday in Japan, it has become a holiday that is not a holiday.
All social classes in Japan, from top to bottom, are willing to participate in this social event, and the excitement is almost equivalent to a carnival.
This has even formed a special economic model - Sakura Economy.
At this time of year in Tokyo, whether in department stores or supermarkets, cherry blossom branches are planted, exaggerating the pink color of the cherry blossoms.
Beverage companies have printed cans with cherry blossom patterns, and various drinks made from cherry blossoms have also appeared on the market.
There are also cherry blossom cakes, cherry blossom tea, clothes and bags made with cherry blossom patterns.
Merchants will also offer special sales during the cherry blossom season, and night markets for nighttime cherry blossom viewing will also be held throughout Tokyo.
Of course, the happiest thing is the parks, hotels, inns, restaurants, and travel agencies, all of which have increased prices, and the income can be tripled at most.
So in this case, if you want to watch the cherry blossoms bloom in Tokyo, you must send people to seize the land in advance.
In fact, for every company, this kind of physical work is generally the task of new employees of the company.
As the advance team of each company, these young men who have just left campus not only have to carry large plastic sheets, but also buy various beers, drinks, skewers, dried fish and other snacks, which are packed and ready to be put away just after the cherry blossoms.
When the time comes, go to enclosure.
And it will take at least a week.
Wherever Tokyo's cherry blossom viewing spots are beautiful, there will inevitably be scenes of competition for them every year.
Just take a look when the time comes. Under the endless cherry blossoms, there are densely packed heads.
The scene was exactly the same as when the Republic was riding a green train, the aisles were full of people, swaying about, and the dense crowd of heads was more eye-catching than the cherry blossoms.
Moreover, these groups of people who have circled a place in advance are almost non-moving. One group after another will drink from morning to night, and even lie drunk under the cherry blossom trees.
The so-called "Hanami" in Japan's Showa era was so exaggerated and crazy.
But then again, how could Ning Weimin, a new arrival in a foreign land, understand this?
Once he figured out the predicament at hand, he was at a loss and had no idea how to solve the situation.
Not to mention that he had missed the opportunity now, he knew that it would be difficult to find a suitable place to watch cherry blossoms again.
Even if he could find such a noisy place, it wouldn't be suitable for him to date Matsumoto Keiko.
On my last trip, I almost caused trouble in Dotonbori in Osaka. This is a lesson learned from the past.
Ning Weimin has not forgotten the embarrassment of hiding in the closet with the two actresses.
He didn't dare to take the risk again and show off Matsumoto Keiko in public places.
So there was no other way. After much deliberation, he decided to seek help from professionals.
So I called President Takahashi of the Meguro Branch of Yamato Tourism and asked for advice.
Not to mention, imitating the monkey trick of moving rescue soldiers is actually effective.
Don't forget that President Takahashi has also been extremely busy recently due to the arrival of the cherry blossom season.
But after all, he is a tourist and a branch director. The information he has and the resources he has are beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Not only did he give Ning Weimin timely advice, but he also directly provided two solutions that sounded relatively reliable.
First of all, if you don’t have enough time, you can only enjoy the flowers in Tokyo, and you need a certain degree of privacy.
Then President Takahashi recommended Ning Weimin to go to Sumida Park and ride a yakatabune.
According to President Takahashi, within a one-kilometer area on both sides of the Sumida River, there are a large number of cherry blossoms planted during the Edo period.
There are about 300 cherry blossom trees on one side in Sumida District and more than 600 on one side in Taito District. In total, there are nearly a thousand cherry blossom trees, forming a cherry blossom path on both sides of the bank.
Here you can take a boat trip on the river and enjoy cherry blossoms while eating Japanese food. This is a traditional cherry blossom viewing experience in Tokyo.
Although the seats have been booked long ago, no matter how much money you spend, you can't book tickets now.
But it doesn't matter, he can think of a way to help Ning Weimin add a chartered boat through personal relationships.
However, the price is about 200,000 yen, which is 50,000 yen more expensive than the original price.
Second, if you have plenty of time and hope to completely avoid the crowds in Tokyo, there are ways to do so.
President Takahashi would recommend Ning Weimin to choose a hot spring hotel with a private "Sakura Villa" around Tokyo.
Entering the tree-lined path from the shores of the Kinugawa River, the huge moss-covered rocks block the hustle and bustle of the hot spring town, leaving only silence.
This is the place near Tokyo where the cherry blossoms bloom at the latest, and it is also known as "Tokyo's back garden".
Yamato Tourism has good cooperative relations with several hotels there. It should be no problem to provide Ning Weimin with a comfortable room without increasing the price.
So in this way, Ning Weimin finally grasped the life-saving straw.
He was generous without hesitation, without making a choice at all, and took both options.
In return, Ning Weimin also gave a batch of trolley cases to President Takahashi's branch in return.