Hanami (花見, lit. “flower viewing”) is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, “flower” in this case almost always meaning cherry blossoms or ume blossoms. From the end of March to early May, sakura bloom all over Japan, and around the first of February on the island of Okinawa.
Green tea (緑茶 Ryokucha) is ubiquitous in Japan and therefore is more commonly known simply as “tea” (お茶 ocha).
On July 14, 2009, Kirin announced that it is negotiating with Suntory on a merger. On February 8, 2010, it was announced that negotiations between the two were terminated.
The practice of hanami is many centuries old. The custom is said to have started during the Nara Period (710–784) when the Chinese Tang Dynasty influenced Japan in many ways; one of which was the custom of enjoying flowers. Though it was ume blossoms that people admired in the beginning, by the Heian Period, sakura came to attract more attention. From then on, in tanka and haiku, “flowers” meant “sakura.”
Avoiding exposure to pollen is the best way to decrease allergic symptoms. Remain indoors in the morning and evening when outdoor pollen levels are highest. Wear face masks designed to filter out pollen if you must be outdoors.
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Under this brand Matsushita sells both plasma and CRT television sets, DVD players, telephones, projectors, VCRs, digital cameras, laptop computers under the sub-brand Toughbook, portable CD and analog tape decks and home stereo equipment, all of which are marketed under their slogan “Ideas for Life.”
Sakura (Japanese kanji & Chinese character: 桜 or 櫻; hiragana: さくら; katakana: サクラ) is the Japanese name for ornamental cherry trees, Prunus serrulata, and their blossoms. Cherry fruit (known as sakuranbo) come from a different species of tree.
A charge-coupled device (CCD) is an image sensor, consisting of an integrated circuit containing an array of linked, or coupled, light-sensitive capacitors. This device is also known as a Color-Capture Device.
Crayon Shin-chan (クレヨンしんちゃん, Kureyon Shinchan) is a manga and anime series written by Yoshito Usui. The American version of the manga is titled “Crayon ShinChan” while the UK, Catalan, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, German, Hindi and American version of the anime is titled Shin-Chan. The series follows the antics of a five year-old boy Shinnosuke Nohara, his parents, neighbours and friends. This story is set in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. The show is called “Crayon Shin-chan” because “crayon” signifies the fact that it is a tool commonly used by kindergartners and that Shin-chan goes to kindergarten. “Shin-chan” is the affectionate name for the main character.
Hanami (花見, Hanami, lit. “flower viewing”) is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, “flower” in this case almost always meaning cherry blossoms (桜 or 櫻, sakura), or ume blossoms (梅, ume). From late March to early April (early May on Hokkaidō), sakura bloom all over Japan. The blossom forecast (桜前線, sakurazensen, lit. cherry blossom front) is announced each year by the weather bureau, and is watched carefully by those planning hanami as the blossoms only last a week. In modern-day Japan, hanami mostly consists of having an outdoor party beneath the sakura during daytime or at night. Hanami at night is called yozakura (lit. “night sakura”). In many places such as Ueno Park temporary paper lanterns are hung for the purpose of yozakura.
