References to sakura hanami (flower viewing) parties appear in literature as early as 894, during the Heian era, and have influenced Japanese culture — including art, food, fashion and theater — to this day. The anticipation of the blossoms’ arrival is celebrated in early March at the country’s major museums, where precious 17th-century screens are taken from storage and displayed, generating excitement that the blossoms are on their way; that the harsh winter is almost over; that spring is just around the corner. When the real blooms arrive, the whole country celebrates; first in the far south, then traveling northwards and up the mountain slopes. During their peak, the blooms cover parkways and mountain slopes, transforming whole cities into pink mist.