The cherry blossom festival has been celebrated in Japan since the 8th century and was originally observed only by elite members of the Imperial court, who would meet and write poetry about blossoms.
Associate professor of Japanese Roy Starrs said the tradition spread to the samurai, who saw the blossom's short-lived beauty and early death as symbolic of their own lives.
Hanami is celebrated across Japan and the progress of cherry blossom as it moves north is reported nationwide.
Otago University department of language and culture teaching fellow Haruko Stuart said Japanese people gathered to celebrate Hanami, and timed parties with the strength of the bloom.
''Spring is like a starting time for everything; universities, schools and even companies. Cherry blossom trees are like a symbol of a new life and the beginning of something positive,'' she said.
''Plants grow and flowers blossom, it's a symbol of hope.''
The Dunedin party featured music from O-Taiko, a traditional Japanese drum group, as well as Japanese food, martial arts displays, music, singing and speeches.
Assoc Prof Starrs said Hanami symbolised what life was about to Buddhists, as early Japanese Buddhists gained insights into life by observing cherry blossoms.
''Life is transient. The cherry blossom is a very good symbol of that,'' he said.
''If they were there all the time, maybe we wouldn't appreciate them so much.''
Flood control plans for the Leith meant cherry blossom would be gone from the clock tower lawn next year.
