Japan’s cherry blossom fans face record-high food prices
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Some consumers may be cutting back on travel and dining out, opting instead to celebrate closer to home.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: UNSPLASH
TOKYO – Cherry trees are bursting into bloom across Japan, but the cost of foods often eaten at flower-viewing picnics – known as hanami – is higher than ever.
The price of typical food items is up 25 per cent over the past six years and about 4 per cent since 2025, according to a report by Dai-ichi Life Research Institute. Meanwhile, broader inflation is prompting the Japanese to cut back their spending on such events.
Steamed sweet buns saw the biggest price increase among the 14 items tracked, climbing more than 46 per cent since 2020. Prices of carbonated drinks have also jumped about 46 per cent, while rice balls are up 45 per cent, driven by higher costs for ingredients such as sugar, cooking oil and rice, as well as plastic containers.
The average budget for hanami in 2026 is around 6,383 yen (S$51), down about 14 per cent from 2025, according to market researcher Intage. The pullback suggests consumers are cutting back on travel and dining out, opting instead to celebrate closer to home, it said.
Japan’s spring wage negotiations have delivered pay increases above 5 per cent for a third straight year, but food inflation has soared. As locals cut back, foreign tourists, attracted by the weak yen, are taking on a larger role in driving seasonal demand.
The impact of war in the Middle East has yet to fully feed through to the index, but further increases in crude oil prices are likely to push up the costs of sweets and potato chips, Mr Hideo Kumano said in the Dai-ichi Life report. Carbonated drinks are also expected to become more expensive due to rising plastic costs, he said.
“Many people are skipping long-distance trips this year, while food-related costs are expected to continue rising amid tensions in the Middle East, making conditions even tougher next year,” Mr Kumano said.
The hanami market is also increasingly being driven by foreign visitors, he added.
Despite rising prices, the total economic impact of hanami season in 2026 could reach a record 1.49 trillion yen in 2026, with foreign visitors accounting for more than 30 per cent, according to Kansai University emeritus professor Katsuhiro Miyamoto. BLOOMBERG
