Sun, showers, wind, hail… the spring weather in the UK is consistently, um, changeable. You just can’t count on the sun showing its face (thank goodness for cosy pubs on rainy days!). Bearing the English climate in mind, there are plenty of wonderful ways to celebrate the cherry blossom season in London, inside or out.

Of course, what we really all want for our hanami party is to be sitting amongst fluffy pink cherry trees, under a pure blue sky, eating tasty Japanese treats from bentos.

Fingers crossed for fine weather for the Japan Conversation Group Hanami scheduled for 1pm on the 18th of April. This free annual event takes place in Hyde Park, at the east side of the Albert Memorial.

Saké lovers will certainly appreciate the (brand new for 2009) Akashi Tai Cherry Blossom Festival, taking place at Japanese restaurants around London. If you’re a member, you can join the Japan Society on April 22nd for the ‘Evening Cherry’ event at Tsuru restaurant on the South Bank – a saké tasting that will teach you how to match different types of saké with Japanese food.

The mouth watering menu will include free-range chicken yakitori, eel and sweetened shitake futomaki, vegetable and pork kushi katsu and pork gyoza with shichimi soy dip… to match with Honjozo, Daiginjo, Honjozo Genshu and Genmai Aged sakés! After the tasting, members can enjoy the evening under the cherry trees with sounds from London's top Japanese DJ, Tomoki Tamura.

Eyes streaming/nose tickling at the thought of all that fresh air? You can still see cherry blossom indoors… in the cinema, of all places.

Just released in the UK is the romantic German drama ‘Cherry Blossoms’. Playing daily at the ICA until the 23rd April.

'An ageing couple embark on a personal odyssey to be reunited with their estranged children after the husband is diagnosed with a terminal illness. This journey takes them from Germany to Japan, where spiritual solace is found in an unlikely friendship amid the snow of Mount Fuji. With its echoes of Ozu's Tokyo Story, Cherry Blossoms: Hanami is full of wisdom and mystery, with Doerrie finding visual metaphors for the characters' emotional journey.'

All sounds like too much bother? Throw a hanami party at home - all you need is a massive platter of take away sushi; colourful, flowery crockery; some cold Asahi beers and your best friends. As a matter of fact, cherry blossom motifs are all the rage on the high street for glasses, plates and cutlery at the moment, making it easy to get the Japanese look in your front room. String up some paper lanterns and pretty fairy lights and voilá! Instant spring celebrations. Enjoy!

The English National Ballet’s Annual Fundraising Gala for 2009 is The Cherry Blossom Ball - to be held on 30th Mar 2009, at the Dorchester, London.

'Celebrate the arrival of Spring by joining us for this glamorous evening where you will be treated to excerpts from the English National Ballet’s repertoire whilst enjoying champagne, a three-course dinner and auction together with musical entertainment including taiko drummers, and a piano recital by Motoki Hirai. Our dancers will be performing a brand new piece of choreography, specifically for the event: One Fine Day from Madame Butterfly.

All funds raised go towards helping the Company continue to take classical ballet of the highest quality to the widest geographical audience at a price everyone can afford.'

Tickets for this exclusive event cost:
£230 per person
£2300 for a table of 10
or £2700 for a table of 12

Visit the English National Ballet's website for more information, or call 020 7581 1245.

In Japan, the spring ritual of hanami cherry-blossom viewing under a clear blue sky is an absolute must. People eager to shake off the winter blues cram the parks, sitting on blankets under the trees, drinking cold beer and eating picnic delights from bento boxes.

Here in England, my garden is liberally sprinkled with confetti-like petals of white blossom that drift languidly down from the big Damson plum tree. Blossom brings with it the warmer spring weather that we’ve all been longing for. However, the weather in the UK is rather less predictable (it torrentially poured in London at last year’s Japan Society Hanami party!).

So, Kitchen Critic’s Kate and Isshoni London’s Vanessa have teamed up to bring you the best of this season’s cheerful, pretty home essentials to ensure we can all take pleasure in springtime sakura blooms, whatever the weather!

Sakura Jubako Bento Box & Sakura Water Bottle

To take along your picnic to the park and get into a cheery cherry-blossom viewing mood, you’ll certainly need a bento box and flask. The Sakura Jubako bento box is a delightful, flower shaped bento box available from Japan specialists J-Box. This convenient ‘jubako’ style means that you can stack the layers – there are two large compartments for keeping your rice and other accompaniments separate. The Sakura Jubako bento boxes close securely with sealing Tupperware-style plastic lids. To complement the bento box is the smart 250 ml Sakura water bottle in striking black with a pink cherry blossom flowers motif. This flask has a neat push button operation to dispense water into the stainless steel cap/cup.

Available from J-Box (shipping should be between £3 to £5)
DX SAKURA JUBAKO Bento Box - USD $24.00 (Abt. £18.00)
SAKURA Mini Handy Water Bottle - USD $27.50 (Abt. £20.00)

Cherry Blossom Glasses

These gorgeous party tumblers from Graham and Green will look stylish rain or shine. Use them to serve chilled saké, wine or beer – these versatile glasses with their sturdy base and compact size are so much less likely to be knocked over than stemmed wine glasses. There are six different colours of glasses in a set, each with a lovely frosted cherry blossom pattern rendered in white. The pattern is so subtle and festive you’ll want to use the tumblers all year round – they’ll look just at as home for a summer BBQ as they will at a blossom viewing party. Available from Graham and Green, the pretty, practical glasses are dishwasher friendly.

Set of 6 Cherry Blossom Glasses - £45

Cherry Blossom Branch Lights

In Japan, people often enjoy the hanami party so much that they don’t want to go home! With that in mind, the parks often string up paper lanterns that picturesquely illuminate the cherry blossoms even in the dark. Evenings are still dark early in the UK cherry blossom season… so why not light up your home or garden with Graham and Green’s elegant Cherry Blossom Branch Lights? Standing the lights up in vases around your home is an attractive decorative accent… or why not try using the branches as unusual table centrepieces? You can choose from light pink, chocolate, pink and white lights, or combine them (they’re surprisingly affordable!).

Cherry Blossom Branch Lights - £17.57

Sia Hanami Tableware & John Lewis Blossom Cutlery

To bring the romantic magic of Hanami indoors, try blossom inspired tableware. The Hanami Tableware by Sia features a beautiful photo of dainty pink flowers, which captures the vibrancy and romance of the season. Made from fine bone china, the Hanami tableware mirrors the light delicacy of sakura blossoms. To complement these gorgeous dishes, try the Blossom Cutlery from John Lewis. The subtle frosted pattern acts as an understated accent, while continuing the floral theme. The sleek modern forms of the Blossom Cutlery combine with the contemporary photographic style of the Hanami Tableware to create a sophisticated celebration of spring.

John Lewis Blossom Cutlery (16 pieces) - £39
Sia Hanami Dining Set (24 pieces) - £99

Cherry Blossom Trivet

Besides its natural beauty, the cherry blossom has an almost iconic form. Long spindly branches that end in a burst of petals have an elegance often seen in contemporary designs. The Cherry Blossom Trivet creates a dramatic silhouette that drapes across your table. Arrange a few down the centre of your table, and you’ll create a distinctive graphic display that’s functional as well! Made from a durable cast iron, these stylish Cherry Blossom Trivets offer both protection and a simplified modern style. Available from Inspirational Elements, the Cherry Blossom Trivets bring the eastern glamour of this important Japanese celebration.

Cherry Blossom Trivet - £14.99

There are so many ways to celebrate the season while exploring the beauty of Japanese culture which makes hanami an irresistible event. Combining historic traditions with modern glamour creates gorgeous dinning pieces you’ll long for. If you’re looking for more fabulous kitchen items available here in the UK, check out www.KitchenCritic.co.uk!

Photo courtesy of the Japanese Conversation Group Website

It’s almost time to celebrate the blooms of spring, and appreciate the finer things in life (like beer and sushi) under the cherry blossoms. The annual Japan Society Conversation Group Hanami takes place on Saturday 19th April at 1pm under the cherry trees near Albert’s Memorial in Hyde Park. The JET Alumni Association is invited, so this will be a great day for international relations! Bring a picnic and something to sit on.

This event takes place rain or shine. If the weather proves uncooperative, the Queen’s Arms pub (on Queens Gate Mews) will provide lashings of Kirin beer.