Waiting for Spring The Art of Anticipating Spring in Japanese Tea and Wagashi

Plum Blossoms and Cherry Blossoms

The First Signs of Spring

Before the celebrated cherry blossoms appear, the quiet beauty of plum blossoms signals that winter is at an end. The delicate flowers of the plum tree, known as ume, bloom in the coldest weeks at the end of winter. Their blossoms often appear while the air is still crisp, making them a symbol of resilience and the first promise of spring.

In Japanese culture, plum blossoms are admired for their quiet strength, blooming bravely even when frost still lingers. They are often represented in seasonal sweets and tea utensils during late winter gatherings inspired by Chanoyu 茶の湯 (Japanese tea ceremony). These early blossoms gently prepare the heart for the season to come.

In Japan, the changing seasons are felt not only in the landscape but also in the small rituals of everyday life. A bowl of tea prepared in the quiet atmosphere of Chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony), a seasonal sweet carefully chosen for its colour and meaning, or the first blossoms appearing on a tree all become ways of noticing the passage of time.

Soon after, the cherry blossoms begin to bloom, transforming landscapes across Japan into clouds of pale pink. Their brief but breathtaking beauty is celebrated through the tradition of Hanami 花見,when people gather beneath the blossoms to appreciate their fleeting splendour.

Together, plum and cherry blossoms represent the unfolding of spring itself. Plum blossoms offer the first quiet whisper of the season, while cherry blossoms mark its joyful arrival.

Just as plum blossoms hint at spring before the cherry trees bloom, sweets such as sakura mochi allow us to taste the coming season before it fully arrives.

In Japan, the seasons are not simply observed as they arrive; they are gently anticipated. Long before the first cherry blossoms open, subtle signs of spring begin to appear in everyday life.

People begin celebrating the feeling of the coming spring through tea gatherings, seasonal sweets, and carefully chosen tea ware.

A tea bowl decorated with plum blossoms, a sweet shaped like a spring flower, or a scroll in a quiet alcove hinting at warmer days to come.

This quiet anticipation reflects a deep cultural sensitivity to the passing of time and the beauty of seasonal change. In the world of Chanoyu, the host carefully prepares a gathering that allows guests to feel the coming season before it has fully arrived. Winter lingers outside, but inside the tea room the promise of spring is already present.

Unlike many cultures that celebrate a season once it has arrived, Japanese seasonal appreciation often begins weeks earlier. In tea gatherings, hosts select utensils and sweets that hint at the coming season rather than the current one.

For example, during the final weeks of winter, tea hosts may already introduce imagery of plum blossoms or early spring plants. This subtle transition helps guests emotionally shift from the heaviness of winter toward the hope and renewal of spring.

This approach reflects a philosophy sometimes described as “meeting the season halfway.” Another saying is “kisetsu no hazama” きせつのはざま “between seasons”. The flow from one season to another can also be known as “kisetsu no meguri” the cycle of seasons. 

In tea culture, every object used during a gathering carries meaning. Tea bowls, hanging scrolls, and sweets may depict early spring themes such as plum blossoms, young grasses, or flowing water.

A host might choose a tea bowl decorated with plum blossoms to evoke the first flowers of the year whose blossoms appear before cherry blossoms and symbolize resilience and renewal.

Even the hanging calligraphy scroll in the (tokonome) “alcove”may reference spring with a phrase suggesting warmth returning or snow melting.

Japanese confectionery, known as wagashi plays an important role in expressing seasonal anticipation. In late winter tea gatherings, guests may be served sweets shaped like buds, spring flowers or plum blossoms. These delicate creations visually suggest that spring is about to emerge.

The sweets are often eaten before drinking powdered green tea such as matcha,balancing the tea’s bitterness with subtle sweetness while reinforcing the seasonal theme of the gathering.

Japanese language contains many seasonal expressions that capture the emotional transition from winter to spring.

In Japan there are many words for the subtle moments that mark the approach of spring haru no kehai, the signs of spring in the air; yoharu, the lingering chill of winter; or ume ichirin, the first plum blossom quietly opening. Together they express the gentle art of harumachi—waiting for spring.

These expressions appear in poetry, tea gatherings, and everyday conversation.

Haru-machizuki (春待月) – “The month waiting for spring”

This poetic term refers to the final month of winter, when people begin anticipating spring’s arrival. The phrase evokes a feeling of quiet patience, as nature prepares to awaken.

Haruge (春気) – “The feeling of spring in the air”

This word describes the subtle change in atmosphere when winter begins to soften. It might be felt in slightly warmer sunlight, the scent of earth, or the first hints of new growth.

Kigo (季語) – Seasonal words in poetry

Another seasonal marker appears in traditional Japanese poetry forms like “haiku”where specific “kigo”(seasonal words) signal the time of year. Words like plum blossom, thawing snow, or bush warbler all hint that spring is near.

Mono no aware (物の哀れ) – The gentle awareness of impermanence

A central aesthetic in Japanese culture,mono no aware, describes the bittersweet awareness that beautiful moments are fleeting. Anticipating spring reflects this feeling: the joy of the coming season is heightened by knowing it will soon pass.

Hanami (花見) – Flower viewing

The well known spring tradition of hanami celebrates the blooming of cherry trees. Yet the anticipation of the blossoms watching the buds swell and waiting for the first bloom is just as meaningful as the celebration itself.

Haru no kehai (春の気配) – “The signs of spring”

This phrase describes the first subtle hints that spring is approaching, a slightly softer breeze, the lengthening of daylight, or the earliest buds beginning to form. In the context of a tea gathering inspired by chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony)it reflects the host’s effort to bring the feeling of the coming season into the tea room before it fully arrives.

Yoharu (余寒) – “The lingering cold of early spring”

Even as spring approaches, there are still cold days that remind us winter has not quite left. This word captures that gentle in-between moment when warmth is beginning to return but the air still carries a chill. It beautifully reflects the transitional mood often expressed through seasonal wagashi and tea utensils.

Ume ichirin (梅一輪) – “A single plum blossom”

This poetic phrase refers to the first plum blossom of the year. Because plum blossoms bloom earlier than cherry blossoms, they are often seen as the earliest herald of spring. In Japanese poetry and tea culture, a single blossom symbolizes hope, resilience, and the quiet beginning of the new season.

Harumachi (春待ち) – “Waiting for spring”

This simple but deeply evocative phrase expresses the feeling of patiently anticipating spring’s arrival. It reflects a shared cultural appreciation for the gradual unfolding of the seasons rather than their sudden arrival.

Anticipating spring in Japan is not only about aesthetics, it is also about emotional awareness. Winter is seen as a time of stillness and the coming of spring symbolises renewal, hope, and gentle excitement.

Through tea gatherings, seasonal sweets, and poetic language, people collectively share this transition. The experience becomes less about marking a date on a calendar and more about feeling the gradual awakening of nature.

This sensitivity to seasonal change is deeply embedded in Japanese life, from cuisine and clothing to festivals and art.

The famous blossom viewing tradition known as hanami celebrates the blooming of cherry trees but even this celebration is anticipated weeks in advance through forecasts and gatherings.

By the time the blossoms finally open, people have already been emotionally preparing for the moment. In Japan, spring does not arrive suddenly. It is sensed in small details the curve of a tea bowl, the sweetness of a seasonal confection, the quiet awareness that spring is just around the corner.

One sweet that perfectly captures the feeling of early spring in Japan is sakura mochi 桜餅. Soft pink or white rice cakes filled with sweet red bean paste and wrapped in a gently salted cherry leaf evoke the delicate blossoms that will soon appear across the country.

Traditionally enjoyed in early spring and especially during Hinamatsuri, sakura mochi reflects the Japanese love of seasonal symbolism. The pale pink colour mirrors the blossoms of the cherry trees, while the preserved cherry leaf adds a subtle salty fragrance.

Served alongside a bowl of Matcha during a tea gathering inspired by Chanoyu, sakura mochi allows guests to taste the coming season before the blossoms themselves have fully arrived. In this way, the sweet becomes more than a dessert it is a small expression of anticipation, inviting us to welcome spring with both patience and delight.

Kansai-Style Sakura Mochi (Domyoji)

The Kansai version of sakura mochi is made using coarsely ground glutinous rice rather than a thin pancake. The rice grains remain slightly visible, giving the sweet a soft, textured appearance that resembles tiny flower buds an image that beautifully echoes the theme of early spring.

This style is strongly associated with the western region of Japan, particularly the cultural area around Kansai region which includes historic cities such as Kyoto, Osaka  and Nara.

Kansai sakura mochi is normally made with Domyoji flour, derived from a traditional ingredient called domyoji-ko 道明寺粉. This is glutinous rice that has been steamed, dried, and coarsely ground. When rehydrated and lightly steamed with sugar, the grains become soft while still retaining a delicate texture. This gives Kansai sakura mochi its characteristic soft but slightly chewy bite, quite different from the smooth crepe-like version found in eastern Japan.

This can be quite difficult to obtain so today I am sharing with you an easier recipe using sweet glutinous mochi rice which is more easily available.

The Kansai version is usually formed into a small round cake filled with sweet red bean paste (anko). The soft pink rice is then wrapped in a salt-pickled cherry blossom leaf (“sakuraba no shiozuke”.) I have a recipe for making these on this site when the young leaves emerge in May. However you can buy them now from the wasabi company in the U.K. Please use my discount code TOKYOPONY10. See link at the bottom or side of your page. 

The leaf provides a gentle saltiness and floral aroma that balances the sweetness of the bean filling. Visually, the contrast of pink rice and green leaf reflects the colours of spring just before the cherry blossoms bloom.

Like many forms of wagashi Kansai-style sakura mochi is designed to evoke the coming season rather than simply represent it. Its colour, shape, and fragrance all hint at the arrival of cherry blossom season and the tradition of flower viewing . Finish with a preserved salted sakura flower (“oka no shiozuke”.)

If you would like to make your own this year I again have a recipe on this site. However if you would like to make your sakura mochi now in anticipation of the season they can be again obtained on line often sold as sakura tea.

Served with a bowl of freshly whisked matcha, the sweetness of the rice and red bean filling softens the tea’s bitterness while also preparing the senses for the subtle seasonal theme of the gathering. In this way, sakura mochi becomes more than a seasonal dessert. It is a quiet gesture of anticipation an invitation to pause, savour the moment, and welcome the approaching beauty of the cherry blossoms.

Through sweets such as sakura mochi, the coming of spring is welcomed before the cherry blossoms open. The soft pink rice, sweet bean filling, and fragrant cherry leaf offer a small taste of the season ahead. Soft, fragrant, and gently sweet, sakura mochi offers a taste of spring long before the cherry blossoms open an edible reminder of Japan’s quiet anticipation of the changing seasons.

Recipe For Sakura Mochi 桜餅

They are made with sweet half pounded ( hangoroshi ) mochi rice.

The above shows mochi rice as well as Japanese bought and homemade sweet bean paste (anko).

You will need 1/2 a rice cooker cup of sushi rice and 1/2 a rice cooker of cup sweet mochi rice (mochigome) available on line in the U.K. from places like natural natural, or check your own Asian grocery stores.

The plastic rice cooker cup that comes with the rice cooker is 3/4 cup (180ml). In Japan, this amount is called ichi go (一合).

Red bean paste filling available from natural natural or the Japan centre in the U.K. or check your own local Asian grocery store or online.

Some salted Sakura leaves from the wasabi company and salted sakura flowers from the Japan centre.

Pink food colouring (natural beetroot juice or beetroot powder mixed with a little water)

1: First give the rice a good rinse changing the water until in runs clean.

2: Soak your rice in four cups of water over night.

3: Drain in a sieve and leave for 30 minutes.

4: While the rice is draining rinse the salt off the flowers and leaves and lay them out on some kitchen towel cover them over with another sheet and blot off the excess water.

5: Cook in a rice cooker with two cups of fresh cold water.

6: Mix a few drops of colouring into the rice when the rice is done.

7: Mash your rice but not fully so you still have some grain and leave to cool covered with a cloth so it doesn’t dry out.

8: Divide the rice into balls and flatten out. Use damp hands and a wet clean cloth to hand. I like to use a little sakura syrup mixed with water but you could also use a sugar syrup if you wish.

8: In the middle of each flattened ball add a ball of anko and then fold the rice over the anko to make a sealed ball. Carry on making until all are done.

9: Place each rice ball onto a leaf and fold the leaf over. Continue with all the remaining rice balls.

10: Finish with a salted sakura flower

11: Enjoy

In this way, the anticipation of spring becomes something to savour slowly shared in the warmth of tea, the beauty of seasonal wagashi, and the quiet awareness that nature is beginning to awaken once again.

Why not check out my other sakura mochi blogs on this site where I talk about sakura no hi (さくらの日), Day of Cherry Blossoms and have a recipe for Kanto style style sakura mochi known as Chomeiji mochi 長命寺餅.

Planning a trip to Tokyo or Kyoto this sakura season? Why not check out my walking tours on my travel section.

Happy Hanami