[For Adults] A Collection of Recreation and Game Ideas to Liven Up Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing)
With the warm spring weather, many of you are probably planning hanami cherry-blossom outings.
Simply eating and drinking while admiring the sakura is fun, but since you’re at it, wouldn’t it be great to include some group activities that really liven things up? There are actually plenty of games perfect for hanami—friendly competitions that adults can enjoy, as well as activities that bring out your inner child.
In this article, we’ve gathered a wide range of recreation ideas to make adult hanami even more enjoyable.
Try them out and get closer with your friends!
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[For Adults] A Collection of Recreation and Game Ideas to Liven Up Cherry-Blossom Viewing (61–70)
Senda Mitsuo Game
Everyone stands in a circle.
The first person says “Senda” while pointing at someone.
The person who’s pointed at says “Mitsuo” and points to someone else.
At that moment, the two people standing on either side of the newly pointed person move both hands up and down and say “Naha-naha.” If anyone makes a mistake in this sequence, they lose.
It starts slowly, and as the speed increases, people get flustered and the game gets more exciting.
konjac
One of the fun aspects of the “what’s-in-the-box” game is seeing how people react when they put their hand in and touch the object.
With that in mind, how about choosing konnyaku, which has a uniquely odd texture, to elicit those reactions? Depending on the type, konnyaku generally feels slippery, so you might get some squeamish responses.
Its springiness can even make people mistake it for a living creature, so it seems important to decide at what point to let them know it’s actually food.
The “Haa” game
Have you heard of the game “Haa tte iu Game,” which has been steadily gaining popularity lately? When you write out “haa,” what emotion do you read into it? There’s the angry “Haa?”, the sighing “haa,” the feigned-ignorance “haa,” and many other kinds of “haa.” It’s a game where you guess which “haa” the player is expressing.
Besides “haa,” there are also prompts that involve different words and facial expressions.
You draw a prompt card and a card with a letter indicating which version the performer has to act out.
It’s a game that requires a bit of acting ability.
King’s Cup
Here’s a game I’d like you to try at a pace that isn’t too hard on you: “King’s Cup.” You draw a card, and what you do is determined by the number that comes up—but no matter which number you draw, someone ends up drinking.
The scariest part is when you draw the King, number 13.
For the first through third Kings, you just pour alcohol into a big pitcher.
But whoever draws the fourth King has to drink all of it.
Be careful—you might end up having to drink the large amount you poured in yourself.
Change Janken
It’s a game where you change your hand after showing your initial rock-paper-scissors sign.
Because you try to read what your opponent is putting out, the mind games are fun—perfect for a cherry-blossom picnic scene.
First, just like regular rock-paper-scissors, both players show a hand.
The key is to hide each player’s hand with a board or something similar so it can’t be seen.
Ask each other questions like, “What hand are you showing now?” and try to read each other’s minds while changing your hands.
Once you’ve decided on your final hand, remove the board and see the result.
Give it a try in settings where you want to deepen communication, like with coworkers or classmates.
Pedometer Dance Battle
At your cherry-blossom party, why not host a dance contest using pedometers to crank up the excitement? It works great as either an individual or team competition.
Have everyone grab a pedometer and dance to their favorite music! Step to the rhythm, add some light jumps, and you might even end up laughing along the way.
Watching the pedometer numbers shoot up with every move is fun for the spectators too! It could be extra fun to prepare a special hanami-themed snack as a prize for the winner.
Enjoy a lively spring day and make the best memories together.
No-English game
Let me introduce a fun “No-English Game” for cherry-blossom viewing! You can easily enjoy it with your favorite smartphone or console games, or with card games.
Set rules so that no one is allowed to use English.
Make it a team battle, and boost the fun by choosing team names in languages other than English.
For a card game, UNO is a great pick.
Even when calling out colors and numbers, English is off-limits.
For example, say colors like “aka” (red) or “ao” (blue).
Follow the rules and have a lively, noisy good time together! Enjoy it while eating your hanami picnic lunch!
Smartphone Typing Battle
Want to amp up the fun at your cherry blossom viewing party with a smartphone Typing Battle? The rules are super simple.
Grab your phone and see who can type the given phrase the fastest! Try it with your friends at the hanami—competing on typing speed is sure to get everyone hyped.
Enjoy the beautiful scenery while adults and kids alike join in.
You might be surprised by who ends up the champion!
Tissue Catch Game
A game you can play with just tissues: the Tissue Catch Game.
One way to play is to drop a tissue from up high as it flutters down and try to catch it.
But in this version, everyone participating holds a single tissue.
While moving around as usual—walking, sitting, and so on—someone suddenly drops their tissue.
The others try to react instantly and grab it.
If no one reacts and it hits the ground, that’s a miss.
The player who collects the most tissues wins.
Do-Re-Mi Song Game
Do you know the Do-Re-Mi song game? It’s a game where you sing using those pitches and lyrics, but you only sing one measure.
After you sing, you point to the next person to choose who will sing and announce the scale degree they have to sing at the same time as you point.
The person chosen has to sing both the melody and the lyrics correctly.
It sounds easy, but since the pitches jump around, it’s hard to match them on the spot, and you get pulled along by the previous person’s singing, so you can’t sing it well—that’s the fun of the game.
It gets even more exciting if you decide on a penalty for mistakes!