Hanami, meaning flower viewing, is the Japanese custom of enjoying the brief beauty of blossoms, usually cherry and sometimes plum. Cherry trees bloom across Japan from late March to early May, and the Japan Meteorological Agency publishes a blossom front forecast so people can plan. The blossoms last only a week or two, which is part of their appeal. Modern hanami usually means outdoor parties under the trees by day, and yozakura, night viewing under lanterns, in places such as Ueno Park. An older form, umemi, is plum viewing, which is calmer and popular with older people. Okinawa's cherry trees bloom earlier, around January.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.