12 of the Most Beautiful Places

Each year locals and travelers alike await with bated breath for the much-loved hanami season. This age-old tradition, once reserved for only the elite typically, comprised of much sake and feasting as well as poetry recitals. Today, merry-making underneath the pink, blooming branches is still a practice in everyday Japanese society, albeit with far fewer poems. Part of the allure of hanami is that the full bloom only ever lasts several days, thus its fleeting and ephemeral beauty is often a reminder of life itself. Journey through Japan for some of the most beautiful cherry blossom viewing sceneries featuring the country’s most loved flower.