Sakura fever

Japan is struck by cherry blossom fever, even if a cold spell stopped the traditional flower-viewing picknicks in the parks. Well, it will make the flowers last longer.
The interesting thing, however, is not the beauty of the flowers (at least not right now). It is the variety of products which popped up as soon as the peach blossoms had finished.
Peach blossoms are not the national symbol of Japan, and while beautiful, does not cause the same hysteria. Because hysteria is what it is. Every restaurant within even remote viewing distance of a cherry tree is fully booked with people celebrating spring every night - my colleauges figured out that it was better to book a lunch, but that of course means no drinking.
Drinks are the next thing. Yesterday, I counted to five different versions of cherry-flavored drinks: Sake, wine, and the homebrew-style schochu. With flowers in them, or just pink. And that is not counting the cherry blossom sugar and salt that you can buy. The only uses for that I have found (except in the cherry blossom ice cream) is in the cherry mochi, the pounded rice cakes which are served with a salted cherry blossom on top.
Yes, the cherry blossom fever has really struck.