Sakura Matsuri 2020 at Gardens by the Bay

A dash of springtime festive Hanami beauty at Sakura Matsuri 2020.

The gloomy truth of it is, spring 2020 has been pretty awful so far. Even for a country with no real “springtime” like Singapore.

Yeah. I don’t want to mention the name of that thing in this post. But unless you’ve been buried under a mountain of toilet paper rolls for a month, I’m sure you know what I’m referring to.

…

But, life must still go on, as everyone says. And why shouldn’t it? As long as one takes sufficient measures.

Putting aside masks counting, I thus ventured down to Gardens by the Bay Flower Dome this evening to check out Sakura Matsuri 2020. What I’m pleased to say is, apart from the requisite temperature checks, everything looked and felt like any other weekday at Gardens.

The Hanami displays, naturally, were gorgeous too. Actually, I felt this year’s display is the best one I’ve seen so far; that is, compared to 2018 and 2016. In spite of the mood, the event organisers went all out to present the best. They truly deserve a round of applause from everyone.

Sakura “Mankai” Everywhere at Flower Dome

Gardens by the Bay Cherry Blossoms 2020. — Red wooden torii gates right after the main entrance. Nothing says “Japan ahead” more than these.

Sakura in Singapore. — Overview of the main Hanami display area.

Sakura at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore. — Some close-ups of the lovely Cherry Blossom blooms. Of note, quite a variety, from the vibrant red to the near white, were on display.

Kotobukiya Dolls in Singapore. — It’s not all about Cherry Blossom blooms and torii gates. Other “oh-so-Japanese” stuffs were showcased too. Such as these Anime dolls by Kotobukiya.

Flower Dome PlayStation 4 Corner. — There’s even a mini PlayStation 4 corner!

Prayer to Spring - Love Cherry Blossoms Paintings Exhibition. — For those who prefer art more classical in feel, this mini exhibition of cherry blossom paintings by Singaporean artist Quek Kiat Sing should delight.

Gassho-style farmhouses — Back to the festive centrepiece. On display are also *gassho-style* houses ala Shirakawa-go fame. These rustic “prayer-hands” Japanese farmhouses really pair very well with the Hanami blooms

Red Torii Gates Tunnel in Singapore. — More brilliant red torii gates! (BTW, those are Kumiko-style Japanese lanterns. Kumiko being an intricate woodworking technique that uses no nails)

Momotaro, Tales of the Peach Boy. — Okay, I ought to have mentioned this earlier. This year’s display is teamed “Tales of the Peach Boy” and that of course refers to Momotaro. Here’s the Okayama lad with his faithful retainers!

Other than himself and his cutesy animal army, other scenes related to the Momotaro legend are scattered around the main display area too. Don’t miss these photo ops if you’re visiting!