Sakura Season Is Brief – These Are the Drinks to Try While It Lasts

Cherry blossom season in Japan is one of the wonders of the world – but it’s not just a feast for the eyes, it’s a delight for the nose and palate as well. For those few short weeks, sakura blooms are in and on everything; infused into sake, blended with tea and soda, on rice and cakes, and tweezered into cocktails.

The traditional way to toast the season is with a cup of sakurayu, or cherry blossom tea, made by steeping salted cherry blossoms in hot water to create a delicate infusion. If they’re mixed with tea leaves then it’s more often known as sakura-cha.