Global inflation is taking a bite out of Japan's iconic "hanami" cherry blossom picnics, with an index tracking food and drink costs up 25% since 2020, private think tank Dai-ichi Life Research Institute said on Tuesday. The event, a must-do for many Japanese, is not immune to the hit from rising raw material costs that has prodded companies to charge more for a wide range of food and beverages. "A weak yen and rising global commodity prices are causing cost-push inflation in Japan," Kumano said. "Hanami is clearly facing the negative effect of the global inflationary trend." Core consumer inflation stayed above the Bank of Japan's 2% target for nearly four years before slowing to 1.6% in February due largely to generous government fuel subsidies.

Source: The Standard March 24, 2026 10:10 UTC