Saluting spring at Sakura under the cherry blossoms

Pete Streader

Sakura Festival
April 30, May 1, 11:00 -16:30; Langelinie Park, Cph Ø; sakurafestival.dk

In 2006, a couple of hundred Japanese cherry trees were presented to Copenhagen Municipality by the Danish Honorary Consul in Hiroshima as a symbol of friendship between the land of the rising sun and the land of the occasional sun. Since 2008, people have been meeting under the cherry blossom trees for the traditional Japanese picnic festival of Sakura.

To enjoy this colourful Japanese version of hygge, families and friends get out their blankets in the shade of the pink and white blossoms, surrounded by a cheerful celebration of Japanese culture.

The program for both days is packed full of activities. An energetic display of Japanese drumming starts off the proceedings. Martial arts, of course, are represented and there are plenty of chops, kicks and throws for those with a passion for karate and judo. There are also kendo demonstrations for those who like the steely swish of blades. Both days end with the customary group Bonodori circle dance.

The kimono fashion show is a yearly tradition, as are the tea ceremony, haiku recitals, ink wash painting and ikebana flower arranging.

The grounds will quite probably be full of teenagers dressed up as their favourite manga cartoon characters, just to add a surreal touch to the events.

Spring has sprung and the cherry blossoms are in bloom – so put down that sudoko puzzle and head for the waterside location of Langelinie and turn a little bit Japanese.

TOP STORIES

  • Employment in the green industry is growing

    Employment in the green industry is growing

    According to data from Statistics Denmark, employment in the green industry grew by an average of nearly 6% in one year. In some sub-sectors, this growth reached between 10% and 20%. These numbers make the green sector one of the fastest-growing in terms of employment in Denmark.

  • For the first time, Danish won’t be used in Folketing parliamentary work

    For the first time, Danish won’t be used in Folketing parliamentary work

    Aki-Matilda Høegh-Dam, a member of the Greenlandic party Siumut and a member of Parliament, said that she would use only her mother tongue during the Folketing’s question time sessions. As a result, Parliament decided to trial simultaneous interpretation.

  • Grand political drama continues over Chinese vessel in Kattegat

    Grand political drama continues over Chinese vessel in Kattegat

    In these hours, the involved countries, including Denmark, Sweden, and China, have been in continuous talks, about the possibility of investigating the ship, perhaps by boarding. 

  • Not without my ryebread

    Not without my ryebread

    If you want to learn more about the Danes, it’s a good idea to look at what they eat – and how they eat. A large study on Danish food culture points to rye bread for lunch and dinner, and hygge is associated with eating together. Even though fewer Danes do exactly that

  • An international living in Denmark is the world’s best teacher

    An international living in Denmark is the world’s best teacher

    The British Peter Tunna, an international working as a teacher at the North Zealand International School, won the ICA Teacher Awards. He is the first person from Denmark to achieve this. “You need to make an effort to integrate into Danish society and culture—you can’t just expect it to come to you or happen automatically,” he says.

  • How is Denmark addressing violence against women

    How is Denmark addressing violence against women

    According to a report from the Ministry of Justice, partner killing is the second most common type of murder, and women are victims in 83% of the cases, all of them killed by men. Regarding the gender gap, women earn, on average, 12.4% less than men. While Denmark is one of the safest places for women in the world, the issues are far from being solved.

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • Employment in the green industry is growing

    Employment in the green industry is growing

    According to data from Statistics Denmark, employment in the green industry grew by an average of nearly 6% in one year. In some sub-sectors, this growth reached between 10% and 20%. These numbers make the green sector one of the fastest-growing in terms of employment in Denmark.

  • The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    The intuition trap: leading Danes in cross-cultural teams

    Signe Biering, an executive coach trained in psychology with a background in diplomacy, explains how over-reliance on intuition in decision-making can hinder cross-cultural collaboration. She highlights Denmark’s cultural tendency to trust gut feelings and authenticity but warns of its risks in diverse teams. Biering advocates for leaders to challenge instincts, embrace differences, and balance intuition with analytical thinking to foster trust, collaboration, and growth.

  • “Talents, start using AI tools now,” says Siri and Change.org founder

    “Talents, start using AI tools now,” says Siri and Change.org founder

    In an exclusive interview with The Copenhagen Post, the founder of Siri and Change.org, and currently VP of AI Experience at Airbnb, gives young talents advice on how to deal with the job market changed by artificial intelligence.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs