“Hanami” Celebration with Japanese Food (Basel)

The days are getting longer and the world is blooming in color.

Still, many of us go about our business without stopping to soak in the changing of seasons. In Japan, on the other hand, appreciating the beauty of flowers and blossoms is an ancient pastime. “Hanami” or 花見 quite literally stands for “flower viewing”, and it is an important social activity for many Japanese.
 

The Hanami Street Food Festival in Basel

While sitting underneath blooming plum and cherry trees, groups of friends will share snacks and enjoy what spring has in store. We count ourselves lucky because for one night in Basel, we will get to experience a glimpse of hanami, too! Restaurant Noohn at the “Kirschgarten” tram stop will be hosting a hanami celebration on April 10. (Coincidentally, the name of the tram stop means “cherry orchard”.)

An all-inclusive ticket costs 53 francs, and we feel that this is an amazing “bang-for-the-buck” based on a previous event there. The various indoor and outdoor booths will be featuring ramen, sushi, sashimi, Japanese curries and delicious BBQ skewers. Did we mention a dessert buffet stacked with mochi?
 

Other highlights of the night:

• Book presentation of “Wa 和 The Japanese Cookbook” by Joe Kimura Downie from Kimura’s Kitchen
• Sake tasting by Noohn

 
Advance tickets are on sale at Restaurant Noohn or they can be purchased at the door. Let’s celebrate hanami together!