Sakura season has returned to Gardens by the Bay, and this time with Hello Kitty for the first time alongside peach and cherry blossoms.
The iconic Japanese character appears in different settings, including at a hanami (flower-viewing) picnic amid spring blossoms, a nodate (an outdoor tea ceremony), and a Japanese-style landscaped garden.
Quintessential Japanese elements like torii gates and red-crowned cranes are also featured in the floral display, which opened yesterday.
Gardens by the Bay said it is bringing a bit of Japan to Singapore with the March school holidays around the corner and because travel has been disrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
To ensure safe distancing and better crowd regulation, featured cultural programmes such as taiko drum performances and Japanese tea demonstrations will be scaled down in accordance with prevailing safety guidelines.
This is to cap the number of attendees, who are required to pre-register for the programmes.
Visitors will also need to pre-purchase timed-entry tickets online from Gardens by the Bay's website or smartphone app.
The SingapoRediscovers vouchers issued by the Singapore Tourism Board can be used for admission to the Cloud Forest, OCBC Skyway and Flower Dome, which houses the Sakura Featuring Hello Kitty display.
Visitors can check Gardens by the Bay's Facebook and Telegram channel for updates on the state of the flowers' blooming.
Sakura Featuring Hello Kitty will open from 9am to 9pm daily.
Tickets for local residents to the Flower Dome will be $12 for adults, $8 for seniors aged 60 and above, and $8 for children aged three to 12.
Tickets for non-residents cost $20 for adults and $12 for children.
Separately, Jurong Bird Park will be launching on Saturday its first digital game trail, Wildlife Quest With Detective Blue, for the week-long school holiday which starts on March 13.
Visitors should head to exhibits like the Flamingo Pool and Wings of Asia to answer quiz questions and complete special tasks as part of the digital quest, which is available as an add-on option for $10 with the purchase of admission tickets online.
Players will need to complete all location-based challenges to unlock rewards that include an exclusive keychain and explorer badge.
The first 250 participants to complete the quest will be invited to an interactive virtual programme, Hello from the Wild Side, on March 27 to meet a double yellow-headed amazon, a pair of toco toucans and their caretakers over a video call.
The trail will take place on weekends and public holidays from Saturday to June 27, and during the March and June school holidays.
- More information is available at www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/ sakura and www.birdpark.com.sg/jbp50
