Original subtitles

There's one season that's more anticipated and loved

than any other on the planet.

Spring.

So, for the first time ever, Springwatch is travelling

to a country where they celebrate this prettiest of natural events.

Like nowhere else on earth.

Hello.

Welcome to Japan.

We've come here to experience one of the most spectacular,

the most anticipated and, as you can see the most celebrated

springtime events in the world.

The emergence of the Sakura, Japan's cherry blossom.

We've come to Tokyo, one of the world's busiest cities,

to experience this explosion of pink, along with millions

of locals and tourists that have also come here to celebrate

the start of spring.

And as spring erupts, through Japan, where going to follow it

step-by-step to explain this phenomenon in terms of the impact

that it has on all of the people, which you can see and,

of course, the wildlife, as well.

We're going to explore Sakura, Japan's ancient capital Kyoto

and its modern capital Tokyo.

I'm going in search of an exquisite little bird

that I've never seen before.

And it absolutely loves cherry blossom.

It's a very busy tree but this tree, at this time of year,

is a sugar factory.

While Chris is bird-watching I'll be meeting some streetwise bees making

honey from the city's blossom.

Oh!

That is so good.

And ethnobotanist James Wong has also joined us to explore

the cultural and spiritual links with Sakura.

Visiting the hidden Buddha on Mount Yoshino.

They are only on show when the Sakura are blossoming.

And, as if all that isn't enough, we've just about crashed one

of the biggest nature festivals on the planet.

And I've heard, Michaela, that after dark, after a day

of drinking sake things can get really wild.

Really wild.

So, welcome to Springwatch in Japan.

It's cherry blossom time.

Welcome to Tokyo where blossom is in full bloom.

I've got to tell you, 1200 trees here, Michaela,

and they are looking fantastic.

We're here to celebrate what has to be one of the most

hotly anticipated and, let's face it, prettiest festivals

of spring in the world.

And you can follow what's going on live on our website,

not only in Japan, of course, but all across the UK.

Across Japan there are about a million cherry trees.

And as the blossom blooms, it marks the arrival of spring

in a, sort of, pink wave across the country

from south to north.

The Japanese archipelago covers about 2000 miles across 20 latitudes

so it takes the cherry blossom, or Sakura, as it's called

here in Japan about 15 weeks to make its appearance

throughout the country.

And it opens when daytime temperatures reach somewhere

between 17 and 20 Celsius.

What temperature do you think it is today?

I'm quite hot.

I'm a little bit overdressed.

It's not 20 degrees.

It is!

No, it's not.

It's still quite chilly, to be quite honest with you.

Listen, hold onto this map, will you?

Let's sit down.

Make ourselves comfortable here.

Because I can show you how the blossom moves south to north

across this archipelago.

So, it started down here on the 14th of January and the prediction says

it will end up here on Hokkaido, close to this little spot

here on the 9th of May.

At the moment, we're in Tokyo here and, as you can see,

it's pretty much at its prime but it isn't a simple

south to north relationship.

There are a few little discrepancies and we'll be

talking about those later.

Every year is different.

It's a real gamble as to which week you pick to come here.

Come here too early, ahead of the blossom,

come here too late and all you see is a carpet of pink.

I think we are spot on here in Tokyo.

It's out here and absolutely gorgeous.

How long do you think it's going to last?

Well, typically, it goes through a 14 day cycle from bud

to the petals on the ground.

At the moment, I'd say we were possibly on about day ten or 12.

There is still a few more buds to open but there are some that

are already shedding their petals.

We are at peak time. We've hit the mark.

So many people come here to celebrate this festival.

Tokyo is absolutely packed.

Everywhere you go in this part, people last airing

at the pink blossom.

Hotels are booked months, if not a year, in advance.

It's a fantastic celebration of pink and spring.

It's quite heartening, isn't it?

Millions of people coming out in response to nature.

Millions of them do, not just here in Tokyo

but throughout Japan and not just Japanese people, people come

from overseas as well.

That said, it's not just about humans.

It's not just about the blossom. It's about wildlife, as well.

This time of year is also known as the awakening of the creatures.

Japan's long string of Pacific islands

has an extraordinary climate range.

From mid-January, the cherry blossom, or Sakura, as it's known,

starts to open in the southern islands where temperatures can

reach a balmy 20 Celsius.

While 2000 miles away in Japan's far north,

the island of Hokkaido is still gripped by ice and snow.

Only found on Hokkaido, Japanese red crowned cranes gather

to strengthen their social bonds.

In anticipation of their breeding season when spring finally arrives.

By late March, on the main island of Honshu, in the middle

of the country, spring is in its infancy.

Sakura is replacing the snow.

But daytime temperatures are only just shifting into double figures.

And the blossom makes a welcome snack for the Japanese macaques.

But it's at the foot of the archipelago on Okinawa

where spring is fully underway.

The subtropical waters of the Pacific are teeming

with life, fuelled by Japan's own Gulf Stream.

The Kuroshio Current.

These warm waters draw visitors, large and small,

throughout the year.

In spring, perhaps the most reliable are female green turtles returning

to lay their eggs.

Here is where it all begins.

The warm waters create warm air currents which hit the land,

triggering a wave of pink Sakura to sweep up the country announcing

the arrival of spring.

But, of course, accurately forecasting that journey isn't

as predictable as you might think.

And there's a good geographical reason for that.

There's an warm water current which typically help spread

the blossom from south to north but another factor is involved.

A range of mountains that runs down here and they shelter places

like Tokyo from the cold air coming off the Asiatic continental landmass

which we've come across here.

So, Tokyo is sheltered.

However, Kyoto, down here, no mountains, plenty of cold air

and it suffers from what I'm calling blossom lag.

I don't know what the Japanese is but I'm going to look at.

I've introduced a whole new factor to this festival.

Blossom lag.

But despite all that preparations are still underway.

So, James went to one of the most sacred places in the ancient city

to look at the history of this spectacular festival.

Surrounded by magnificent gardens, Kyoto's impressive Nijo Castle

was built over 400 years ago.

But the history of cherry blossom viewing, or Hanami, as it's known,

dates back far further here in Japan's ancient capital.

With records going back as far as the eighth century.

But it wasn't always about cherry blossom.

Look at this spectacular plum blossom.

Peaking just before the Sakura come into flower.

It was originally this guy that the Japanese celebrated.

In fact, it was then the national flower.

It was only change to the Sakura later because it's blossoming

ties in perfectly with spring rice planting.

Therefore, the success of the blossom was used to predict

the fortunes of the harvest.

As the symbolism grew, the aristocracy started ranting

cherries in their own private gardens.

With the Emperor Saga popularising Hanami in the ninth century

by having parties under the blossom at his Imperial Court,

here in Kyoto.

Then, after centuries of being celebrated,

in only the gardens of the elite, a very special

Sakura was discovered.

And this is him right here.

The Somei Yoshino.

It's considered the most beautiful of cherry blossom.

It's a hybrid that's discovered in the 19th century

and their massively propagated, cloned, so it's

absolutely everywhere.

For that reason, the single variety makes up 80%

of Sakura trees in Japan.

And because it's a clone, it's surely blooms are guaranteed

to bloom at the same time as its neighbours,

providing a visual spectacle that is modern Hanami.

Finally, a cherry tree for the masses.

Japan's adulation for this blossom brought with it

a commercial explosion.

The Sakura season has become big business.

So, I'm taking Michaela on a Kyoto shopping trip where the streets

are quite literally dripping with Sakura souvenirs.

We've come into the heart of Kyoto now, to the region they call Gion.

And it's where traditional and modern really do collide.

And there's not a single Somei Yoshino cherry tree in sight.

That said, Michaela, there's blossom everywhere.

It's beautiful.

It's so pink.

And blossom is big business.

The Sakura season is worth billions of dollars to the Japanese economy.

March and April is the peak time where everyone's looking

for Sakura on things, smelling of Sakura, basically,

something that's just pink.

The pickled radish flavoured with Sakura leaves.

OK.

Let's give it a go.

Oh!

I quite like that.

That's a good taste.

I like the fact that here, Chris, we've got Sakura

and Christmas all in one cracker.

Look at the little tray that they put it on.

As if it's some kind of valuable watch, or something.

Not something that you'd eat.

Look at this.

They are presented like jewels.

Like valuable jewels.

Each of these is made by a different confectioner in Kyoto.

They deliver them in the morning and when they're sold

in the evening, it's all over.

There are gone forever.

And look at this one.

It's perfect.

It's like a little blossom.

I'd like one of these, please.

That's a Sakura leaf.

Sakura blossom and inside it's sticky, sweet rice.

All coming in a beautifully packaged box, of course, it's pink.

So, I think I'll have this.

This is where the packaging goes to like Love, Actually.

Yeah.

It's everything, the whole works.

Matching bag.

Maybe a little sprinkle of something in there.

If you've got a sweet tooth, the choice of things you can buy

in supermarkets is unbelievable and it all has a Sakura theme.

I mean, look at this.

Sweet pink rice.

It's a box within a bag within a box and within the box two of the most

beautiful suites that I've ever seen in the whole world.

Well, I'm very pleased with my purchase.

Yes.

You know, there's a Japanese phrase which is that the first

bite is with the eye.

What they mean is, as soon as you see something,

you make a judgment of it.

Therefore, they're really keen on their presentation.

I'm very excited about trying these, I've got to tell you.

Look, come on, take your pick.

These look absolutely remarkable.

That is a work of art.

I'm going for the more brightly coloured one.

I know those sweets were beautifully presented but I have

to say having tasted them, given the choice now,

I prefer a chocolate bar.

No, no, no, no.

The presentation was immaculate. It was beautiful.

I love all those clinical shops, everything laid out in tanks.

But it was too much packaging.

Beautiful but way too much packaging.

It's time to talk blossom now, and of course, all of this

sort of stuff isn't just thrown together willy-nilly.

This takes planning.

It does take planning, but how on earth to you plan a party

if you can't know the date?

If each year the timing of the blossom changes?

Well, as we know from Springwatch, nature has very much an objective

to run to its own schedule, so what we need now is a bit

of a science lesson, so join me as I go back to Kyoto

for a bit of blossom biology.

Let's be frank about it.

In this wonderful avenue of ancient trees at Nijo Castle,

things are still pretty brown at the moment.

And I'm no expert, but I'd say it's going to be a few more days

before this is transformed into an avenue of blossom.

But then the whole process is almost impossible to predict.

And the reason that it's almost impossible to predict is that it

comes down to the vagaries of nature and the weather.

You see, some of these cherry trees need to go through a process

called vernalisation.

All sorts of plants do.

The seeds, bulbs and the trees themselves.

And it's all to do with chilling.

Some of these species need to be below freezing

for at least 1200 hours.

Only then is there any chance at all that they might

open their buds and bloom.

So quite clearly, this tree here has gone through that

vernalisation process, and this one is fully open

and it's looking splendid.

And it's got a very delicate aroma.

And of course, the unpredictable nature of this generates a real

sense of anticipation.

And here, even in the rain now, people have got their brollies

up and their hoods up, but they're all standing here taking

photographs of this tree.

And I feel compelled to join in, I have to say.

That's very kind.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Look at that.

Kyoto, cherry blossom in bloom.

Chris Packham.

Superb.

Chris, you've gone all cheesy on us with your cherry blossom photo.

What do you mean, cheesy?

I was just joining in.

Everyone was taking photos.

I was just trying to become part of the festival and the culture.

You'll be getting a selfie stick next.

I feel compelled to join in!

I am not getting a selfie stick.

What do you want?

A photo.

This one's more appropriate.

The blossom matches the colour of your coat better.

There we are.

Smile.

Brilliant.

Thanks.

As Chris was saying, the anticipation of the celebration

just adds to the excitement, but of course it's not

all left to chance.

There's a lot of time, effort and money that goes

into getting the timing of the sakura spot-on.

And as you can imagine here in Japan, technology plays its part.

So a few days ago I went to one of the weather agencies

here in Tokyo to see just how exact they can get their predictions.

This is the headquarters of WNI.

It's the largest private weather news agency in Japan.

As you can see, it's all very technical.

Lots of screens with maps and graphs and things on it.

Now, just to give you an idea of how important this whole operation is,

on one side of this room they monitor storms,

hurricanes and earthquakes, and on the other they monitor

the cherry blossom prediction.

And at this time of the year, that's just as important.

They look at temperature, wind conditions and light,

and they also rely heavily on input from the public, who send

in photographs of how their local blossom is progressing.

They can receive up to 3000 photographs in just one day.

Analysing all that data is Yuri.

Yuri, it's so important for you to get it right.

Do you get nervous at this time of year?

SHE SPEAKS JAPANESE.

Well, yes, I feel pressure because it's only one week that

people can see the beautiful Sakura tree for a whole year,

so the pressure is on.

Is the bloom later this year?

It started blooming very early in Tokyo, but afterwards,

the temperature went down, and so it's now very slow,

and in Kyoto it's really late this year, unfortunately.

Yuri explains that the buds go through seven stages

before they blossom.

Over in Kyoto, they've reached a stage six,

so theoretically in three days the blossom should arrive.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

CHRIS: Sakura forecasting may be a high-tech affair today,

but traditionally it depended on a few expert individuals,

and the predictability of Japan's price cherry tree,

the cloned somei yoshino.

Now, over here, just here, is a cherry tree like no others.

It's more important than cherry tree here, and indeed this cherry tree

and this cherry tree.

Because this is the indicator tree for Kyoto.

And there are 90 indicator tree is spread across Japan,

and it's these trees that determine whether the Hanami season

will start here or not.

So, someone has to make that judgment, and that person

is in attendance this morning.

This is Mr Hatoka, and his job is to determine whether this tree

is bursting into bloom or not.

This job is a huge responsibility.

It involves recording the temperature and checking

the tree twice a day, once in the morning

and again in the afternoon.

And he needs at least five buds to have opened before

he can announce the start of Kyoto's Sakura season.

No wonder he arrives early and works diligently.

Because trying to find just five open buds in amongst this tree

of thousands is quite tricky.

Ah, here, just here.

I see.

Thank you, yeah.

There were two flowers there.

Two flowers.

Two flowers completely open, and a few others partially open.

But is that enough?

I'm dying to ask the million dollar question.

Mr Hatoka, is today going to be the day?

Yes, he thinks.

He thinks it is!

He thinks it is.

He thinks it is!

Yes!

The man from Kyoto said yes.

Was he right?

Well, of course he was right.

I wouldn't argue with an expert on that account.

But I was surprised that he announced the start so early,

because the first few partygoers are going to be partying under trees

with very little blossom on them.

I mean, we were there, and it really wasn't like it is here.

I mean, this is absolutely gorgeous.

This is definitely the time to picnic and party,

and on that note, Chris, I have bought a Bento box.

I mean, again, beautifully packaged.

Look at that.

Shall we open it up?

I love these, though.

This is very different to our cheese and pickle sandwiches

that we get for our takeaway lunch.

Look at that.

They really are like the sort of thing is that my mum would have

put together in the 1960s in a Tupperware container.

So this is the equivalent of sort of white bread,

jam and banana sandwiches, and here is some Angel Delight.

I'm going to help myself to a little bit of veg.

Have a carrot.

I am going to try some of this carrot.

It is interesting, though, they do like a lot of colour

in their Bento boxes.

And they've certainly fulfilled that with this.

And the other thing is that during the season, of course,

they are Sakura themed, and they sell millions

of these things.

They certainly do.

What do you reckon that is?

I think it's curd or something.

OK, well, this is definitely fish.

I'm going to eat some of that.

I quite like bean curd.

That's very mean.

I'm a bit of a tofu girl.

Well, the companies certainly make the most of the Sakura season,

but then again, so does some of the wildlife, as I found

out a few days ago.

Thank you.

Now, you may be wondering why I'm sitting in a cafe in Tokyo having

what looks like a latte and a mini pizza, when surely I should be

trying something more Japanese like sushi and saki?

Well, let me tell you.

This is very Japanese.

Because there's a very special local highly sought-after

ingredient used in this meal, and it is this.

Honey.

And yes, you've guessed it.

At this time of the year, it's made from Sakura.

Made by Tokyo's urban bees, Sakura honey only has

a very short season, so each year, only a limited amount

of this liquid gold is produced.

Which means it's in high demand.

I've come to the fashionable Ginza district to meet Mr Tanaka,

the founder of the local honeybee project at one of his

rooftop honey farms to see what all the buzz is about.

Wow, this is what you call hives at height.

Bees and a view of the city.

It's fantastic.

Mr Tanaka, hello.

Nice to meet you.

And you.

And your bees.

Can I come in?

Walk slowly and gently.

How many hives do you have here?

Five hives.

'Whilst the Sakura season has only just started,

the bees are already busy.'

This one you can clearly see that it's been

out collecting pollen, and those pollen sacs on its leg.

It must be quite difficult for them to fly with all that.

Yes, for me, two watermelons.

It's like us having two watermelons on your legs!

You can see that.

What species of bee do you have?

European.

They are European bees?

OK.

So these are the workers.

Yes.

They collect the pollen and they look after the brood.

This is queen bee.

Oh, yes, you can see.

You can clearly see that that's the queen bee.

It's much bigger.

There's only one queen in each hive.

Laying all of the eggs.

Just a moment.

Is that a baby bee?

Oh, look at that.

Happy birthday.

Happy birthday Mrs Bee!

Oh, that is fantastic to see that.

Shall I hold it?

OK.

I don't want to upset the queen.

So, why do you not to use Japanese bees?

Western bees are creating honey.

So they produce more honey?

They are better workers?

Yes.

Whilst the Japanese honeybees may not be as good at producing honey,

they have some other pretty impressive skills.

Especially when faced with their nemesis,

the Japanese giant hornet.

It's the largest species of hornet in the world,

and this aggressive predator can kill up to 40 honeybees a minute.

However, the native bees have developed a successful defence

mechanism called bee balling.

When a hornet tries to invade the hive, several hundred bees

form a ball around it and vibrate their flight

muscles to produce heat.

As the temperature rises, carbon dioxide levels rise, too,

basically cooking and suffocating the hornet without harming the bees.

It's rare for the European bees to protect themselves in the same

way, so these high-flyers have their own man-made

security system.

A wire mesh cage letting the small bees in and keeping

the large hornets out.

How do you know that it's Sakura honey?

Very easy.

Open the hive, strong smell.

Really?

You can tell from the smell?

Yes.

OK.

OK?

Just put my finger in?

Oh, wow, OK.

I've got it all over me.

Oh, that is so good.

Good?

That is so good.

Really sweet.

So that has in it Sakura blossom?

That is really nice.

And it smells so floral, as well, doesn't it?

And that Sakura fragrance captured in the honey can be smelt everywhere

at this time of year.

As it percolated through the streets of this modern metropolis,

helping to guide the bees to the best cherry blossom

hotspots, it's a perfume that can guide us, too.

Wow, look at this!

The bees.

Yes, where are the bees?

Oh, look here.

Here's a bee.

You can see the pollen on the legs.

Why do you love the bees so much?

Because bees are connected, nature and human.

And not only nature, connecting human to human.

So the bees connect people to nature and people to people?

Yes.

It is fantastic to have it in the middle of the city.

Not only buildings.

Buildings and bees!

To the wildlife in Japan, one cherry tree is pretty much

the same as another, but to the Japanese,

they have a hands down favourite.

The somei yoshino.

There are hundreds of thousands of this one variety across the country.

Making up these eye-catching displays.

But it's not a natural phenomenon, it's a man-made miracle.

And it's all to do with the way these trees reproduce.

Let me explain.

So, here we are.

Got to love an anatomical diagram.

You have this little pollen grain that's

floating around, usually attached to the surface of an insect.

It gets deposited right here, the surface of

the stigma.

When that happens, eventually, it starts germinating a

structure called a pollen tube.

That snakes its way down this long corridor called the styal.

For fertilisation to happen, that actually

has to get the ovary and deposit it payload of sperm.

The problem is, in this variety, the pollen tube is not

quite long enough and, so, fertilisation

never takes place.

In this variety, the male and female parts just don't fit together.

It's as simple as that.

So the reason this tree has spread throughout all the country

is because of cloning.

The method used is called grafting.

Where a carefully selected cutting from one

plant is grafted onto the root of another.

The two form a living bond, continuing to grow as one.

Because there is only one parent tree, all of these plants

look exactly the same.

They are, essentially, just one genetic individual.

A common sort of, cloned army of physical perfection.

Although they can't breed, 80% of the Sakura trees in Japan

look identical because they are identical.

But the Japanese passion for Sakura isn't just limited to

this one modern variety.

There are dedicated Sakura guardians

who care for all varieties of cherry trees.

They travel all over Japan safeguarding treasured specimens

like the famous 1000-year-old Takizakura in Fukushima.

So, I've come to meet one of the most

celebrated Sakura guardians. Mr Sano.

He's the 16th generation in a gardening dynasty that stretches

back to samurai times.

At 89 years old, he's the most distinguished

Sakura guardian in Kyoto, possibly the whole of Japan.

His lifelong passion is to conserve the country's

species of wild cherry.

This one's really beautiful.

What's this one called?

SAYS JAPANESE NAME

When you see a tree like this,

how'd you decide whether it's healthy?

What do you look for?

You have a hammer?

There's a completely different sound.

Wow!

It's like a doctor using a stethoscope.

Using audible signals to detect which part

of the tree are alive and which parts are dead,

just by tapping and listening to the sound.

What are you looking for that?

So, the more nectar it's producing, it's a sign

of good health.

That makes sense.

Mr Sano doesn't just care for the trees, his family have been

collecting rare cherry varieties and planting them in their cherry

orchards for generations.

He has 150 types and thousands of individual trees.

It's a botanical ark.

The way you talk about cherry trees sometimes,

it's almost like they have spirits.

Japanese people love Sakura but what is it they love

so much about it?

I guess it's impossible to explain.

Do you mean it's a difficult question?

What I love is your answer about why you love the Sakura.

People ask me all the time why I love plants.

There's no answer. You just love them.

Or you don't. You can't explain it.

We're in a park in Tokyo and just the other side of that temple is

where everyone is having their picnics and parties.

That will go on well into the evening

and, apparently, it can get really wild after dark.

Wild after dark but what about wildlife itself?

In particular, birds.

There is one species that has a very close relationship

with the cherry blossom.

In fact, in springtime, for a short period,

it's pretty much dependent upon it.

I wanted to find these birds, so I went of to Kyoto

botanical garden in search of them.

Mention Japanese white eye to anyone here in Japan,

they'll know exactly what you're talking about.

The little green bird in the blossom.

A common songbird.

People find them in their gardens but they are

absolutely synonymous with the Sakura.

You will see them in Japanese paintings.

Hanging acrobatically to one of these

branches covered in blossom.

We have seen them in the paintings but

seeing them out here is sometimes a lot more difficult.

You see, they are quite small

and they are very fast-moving. So, this could take some time.

Early morning is a good time to look for them.

Because overnight the blossoms have refilled

with nectar.

There are so many different species in these gardens.

Japanese Pygmy woodpeckers.

Japanese cross beak.

And dusky thrush.

But, still, no white eyes.

Or are there?

There are two.

There are two here.

They are exquisite little birds.

They are very nimble.

Very acrobatic.

They've got relatively short but very rounded wings

so they can twist and turn and you see them doing

this as they hop through the bush.

I've seen a lot of white eyes, difference species

around the world, but never Japanese white eye before.

So this is a tick for me.

I tell you what else is in here, great tit.

And there's a couple of brown or chestnut eared bulbuls.

It's a very busy tree.

But this tree, at this time of year, is a sugar factory.

And that resource is not going to be wasted by nature.

So all of these birds have come into this one

particularly candy floss tree to have their breakfast.

There may be lots of birds feasting on the nectar here.

But few can match the white-eye's efficient design.

And I'm able to perfectly illustrate that using

the ancient Japanese art of origami.

Here we have a white-eye.

In 400 folds.

And here is a model of the blossom itself.

What you can see is when the bird is foraging for

nectar, it sticks its beak down here into the flour's nectarine

and it's able to reach it.

Inside its power that has a tongue with a little

frilly brush on the end of it with which it withdraws

the nectar very neatly, like this, without damaging

the flower.

From the flower's point of view, there's a to this because it

deposits the pollen on the bird's forehead so that when it flies away,

and then comes to the next tree, with blossom, and it inserts

its beak, it transfers the pollen,

effects fertilisation and all species are happy.

All explained in paper.

Fantastic.

For the Japanese, the arrival of Sakura signals the start

of Hanami.

Hanami literally translated means looking at flowers.

And for generations is also being synonymous

with picnics under the blooms.

The Sakura season also coincides with the start of the

financial year, a perfect reason for Japan's

hard-working businessmen to let their hair down and party.

Hanami!

And there is no more prestigious addition to any

celebration than the attendance of Japan's most ancient

and enchanting entertainers.

The geisha.

But, for the majority, it's still very much a

family affair with most Japanese celebrating with their relatives.

James has been invited to join some families at Kyoto's Temple

where the festivities are also in full swing.

Hello, everyone.

Hello!

Ken, I've got you this.

I have to confess, I don't know what it is.

That is a Sakura dangle.

I've got you something you like?

I've noticed, is that a Sakura petal?

That is Sakura flower and that is Sakura leaf.

I've noticed, Ken, these adorable characters.

Explain that to me.

That is for my children. It is, kind of, bear...

You've made yourself?

These are very traditional Japanese foods.

Sometimes the children don't like that traditional old taste.

Children don't like it.

Pretty shapes.

Children are the same all over the world.

Why is Hanami important to you?

Hanami is a New Year event.

So, this is special.

Very special.

We come together with all my family and join

to have a picnic.

That's mostly important.

So, food is... Secondary.

Yeah. You have three generations.

And you say food is secondary but this is the most perfect

picnic I've ever seen.

I'm jealous. I want to be part of your family.

Darkness has fallen here in the part and, I have

to say, with the blossom fully out, the parties are in full swing.

Some of these people have been drinking

sake, I think, since about lunchtime.

It's beginning to get a little bit lairy.

I must say, it's a very different feel to the one James

was enjoying which was much more of a family atmosphere.

This is a lot of young people, a lot of students.

As you can see, the cherry blossom is illuminated everywhere.

Everyone is trying to get in our shot.

As Chris said, the sake is flowing and

I think it's about time we joined in.

I've got a sake in my backpack.

Come on, Chris.

I'm going to meet the people.

You meet the people.

I'm going to find a sober corner to hang

out with some businessmen, I think.

Obviously, I'm going to look for somebody

that speaks a little bit of English.

Because my Japanese is terrible.

These guys look nice. Can I join?

Oh my goodness, I've made friends very quickly.

Do you speak English?

Yes!

Look, I have some sake.

Very good. Very good.

Are you all enjoying yourselves?

Oh my goodness.

OK, Cheers!

Here's a quiet corner.

I'm not entirely sure this is business going on over here

but at least it's not a riot.

I'm going to see what they make of us.

Good evening.

May I interrupt you briefly?

Chris.

Hi.

My name is Oka.

May I ask you a couple of questions about your picnic?

Firstly, why picnic under the blossom?

It's a good place to party?

Yes.

Will you come tomorrow night?

Drink and then you get warm.

Drink more sake and we get warm.

Yes.

That's a good idea.

Will you be at work on time in the morning?

From nine.

From nine?

And all of your friends, too?

Yes, I guess all my friends have work tomorrow, I guess.

OK.

And will this be your only picnic, or will you come back for more?

It's absolutely fantastic, and you know what?

I think this could be a late night, and it won't be Chris's

first on this trip.

Not because he's been out drinking and partying,

but he's been on a mission to find another night-time reveller

but also might make the most of these Hanami parties.

I'm on the prowl for a prowler.

It's got a bandit mask, velvet paws, sneaks around in the shadows.

You might think that I'm talking about a manga

character, or even a burglar.

But no, I'm talking about an animal, the Japanese raccoon dog, or tanuki,

as they call them here.

And what I'm particularly interested in is what they eat

in these urban areas, and if they take advantage of any

of those Hanami picnics taking place under the blossom.

But I have got a problem.

Namely, they're very difficult to find.

They are said to have magical, shape shifting powers,

and bring good fortune to all of those they meet.

But they are extremely shy, so to see one we've set up

an infrared camera in a piece of woodland quite close by,

and we're tucked away out of sight so that hopefully

we don't scare them.

That's if they turn up, of course.

Do you know, I first started waiting to see animals

when I was five years old.

I'm now 55 years old, and guess what?

I'm still waiting to see animals.

But, with a little bit of luck, or a tanuki,

tonight could be the night.

Tanuki are a unique subspecies of raccoon dog, found only in Japan,

and at this time of year, they start to become more active.

Despite their name and their masked appearance, they are not a raccoon

and they're not a dog.

But they are a member of the canid family,

very distantly related to things like wolves, foxes and jackals.

And just like foxes back at home in the UK monopolising

the ready food supply, they have taken comfortably

to life on the street.

Meaning our best chance of spotting one is actually

in the suburbs of Tokyo.

Earlier today, I met up with Dr Sakei Takasuki,

or Taka to his friends.

And he's been studying the local population here to discover how

diverse their feeding habits are.

The thing is, this latrine, Taka, is a very close to those houses.

If you wore on this balcony later this evening, there is a good

chance you might see them.

One day, the lady living here told me she often find raccoon

dog walking around here.

Really?

Taka, I see you've got cameras set up on the tree here, trip cameras.

Do they tell you how many animals are visiting here?

Are you able to identify them as individuals?

At least three.

Because the camera took video, and two came and defecated.

And then after that, just after that, another one came,

a different individual, so I guess at least three,

and probably more use this latrine.

Do we have enough samples, or do you need a couple more?

One or two more.

OK.

Let's go for this.

Some plastic.

Plastic?

This is the seed of dogwood.

So we've got a mix here of food that they forage

for themselves like the dogwood, and there is more vegetable

material in there as well.

But it looks to me like they've also been scavenging around

human food remains there.

Yes.

Taka, given that so many people picnic underneath the cherry trees,

and then they tie up their bags and they leave it behind,

do you think that the tanuki might be tempted to have a little cherry

blossom festival of their own?

In general, yes.

But cherries are planted in parks, and I don't think raccoon dogs

prefer such habitat.

You see, I've seen raccoon dogs in zoos, but I've never

seen one in the wild.

Is there any chance that you might mark some bait for me to put out

tonight so that I might get a chance of seeing a tanuki?

Is that possible?

Let's do that, yes.

I have sausage, so we can do that.

Excellent.

I like a strategically placed sausage, myself.

Some are little higher up where we can see that.

This means for good luck.

Good luck.

We are going to need it!

So, as darkness falls, all we can do is wait.

Yes!

Yes!

Yes!

Oh, yeah.

Very nice.

What about that?

Bang on cue.

Smelling.

Look at that.

Wow.

What about that?

If I had all the time I'd spent waiting to see animals,

I'd spend all the time I had waiting to see animals, because when they

show up, it's fantastic!

Yes.

What about that?

That was great, wasn't it?

Oh, Chris, I'd love to see those tanuki.

They looked so cool.

In fact, do you think if I stay in this park long enough

until it gets really dark, I might go back and party

with those guys, then I might see one in this park?

I think if you drink as much sake as they've had,

you could see anything in this park, to be quite honest with you!

But unlikely a tanuki, although having said that,

Taka did tell me that they do occur right in the centre of Tokyo,

but they like it a little bit quieter, somewhere

but they like it a little bit quieter, somewhere where there's

plenty of undergrowth for them to hide away in.

Probably far too many people here, although having said that,

it has started to quieten down, partly because it's got a little

bit chilly, hasn't it?

Very nippy.

But I've absolutely loved being part of this natural

celebration of spring, and I love the fact that it's

all ages that join in, you know, from the families that James

was partying with to students, to businessmen, people our age

and above, all generations enjoy this arrival of spring.

And I like the degree of effort they put into making sure

that they get all of the timing, all of the predictions,

exactly right.

I mean, it's big business, that comes into it, too,

but you get a real sense of anticipation here.

Everyone's waiting for this blossom, so they can go out and get happy.

Very happy, in some cases.

Do you know what I like?

I like the fact that this is a very organised, formal society,

but the time to party is dictated by nature.

It's brilliant.

It is brilliant.

And we've saved perhaps the most brilliant thing till last,

because quite a few hours south of here is a very special spot

where nature and spirituality combine to produce the world's

greatest blossom spectacle.

And James has been lucky enough to go and see it.

Over 300 miles south of Tokyo, Mount Yoshino

is an extraordinary sight.

Covered in 30,000 cherry trees, it isn't difficult to see why it's

known as the pink mountain.

But the spectacle we see today owes its beauty to a very

special relationship.

Mount Yoshino has been a centre of pilgrimage for over 1000 years,

and Kinpusen Temple is the main site of worship on the mountain.

It arguably the most important temple in Shugendo, a Japanese

religion of mountain worshipping.

A religion that largely blends Buddhism and Shintoism,

this head temple was founded in the mid-7th century, and is

listed as a world heritage site.

It's home to these magnificent carvings of Zao Gongen,

the mountain deity.

One of the most important figures in the whole of Shegundo,

representing the past, present and future of Buddha.

And it's such a privilege to be here and able to see them,

because they are only on show to the public

when the Sakura are blossoming.

Just a couple of weeks, once a year.

The temple was established by En-no-Gyoja, the fabled founder

of the Shugendo religion.

And it's been associated with cherry blossom ever since.

So I'm meeting one of the most important monks

here to find out why.

Goja-san, it's such a beautiful temple right at the top

of the mountain, but why build a temple so high up?

This mountain in front of us is just incredible,

covered in cherry trees.

Is there a reason for that?

People still plant Sakura, I'm imagining.

Have you ever planted Sakura?

What does Sakura mean to you?

The relationship with Sakura is so interwoven, both

spiritually and culturally, with people here, that this

sacred tree will be planted for generations to come.

Ensuring that Mount Yoshino continues to turn pink

for another thousand years.

What a thing.

What a thing, that was amazing.

Absolutely stunning.

Stunning indeed, but you know, Michaela, I've been

thinking about the Japanese and their obsession

with this blossom.

It's highlighted for me a real contrast in the

country and its culture.

I mean, some aspects of it I find incredibly confusing,

desperately frustrating.

Others are very exciting and alluring.

I would love to come back and witness and enjoy this fantastic

spring festival again.

Chris, have you noticed how the blossom looks down?

It's almost as if it appreciates and thrives

on people looking up at it.

Or do you think I've had too much sake?

You might have had a little bit too much sake there!

But what I do love is the fact that the blossom has a short, showy,

spectacular life that people applaud and celebrate,

and it's all in glorious pink.

I mean, what's not to love?