In the past, people had cherry blossom viewing parties not just to celebrate the blooming,  but also to celebrate the rice harvest in Autumn in advance. The cherry blossom was a symbol of a good harvest and prosperity. By celebrating the good harvest in advance, people thought they would manifest that reality. 

In Japan, especially in Western Japan, January 10th is a special day. It is a day for a god called Ebisu. It is a god of business prosperity.

It was a day of financial fortune today according to the Japanese lunar calendar, so I went to a Benzaiten shrine in our town. Benzaiten is Sarasvati in Sanskrit, and is said to give you wealth, and it is good to visit a Benzaiten shrine on a day like today.