Yeeeeees! :mrgreen: Spring is finally here and with it comes nice weather (I can finally ditch the winter coat), smiles, good mood and sakura aka cherry blossom. Sakura is one of the things I’ve been looking forward to the most since coming over - I’ve known about it since I was a kid and seen it in all kinds of movies, anime and pictures but being able to experience it first hand makes all the difference. Finally being able to experience a proper spring after ten years in London is also a great thing. As Ella remarked, spring here is like the British summer - nice and warm. Not looking forward to the actual Japanese summer so much though, which is more like an intolerable sweatbox according to everyone. Ah well, at least we get a good three months of lovely, warm weather and sunshine. Once summer hits I’m legging it up to Hokkaido!
Today was a lovely day so I headed to Hikarigaoka park near where I work with John who I work with, and we snapped loads of pics of people chilling under the trees and kids enjoying half term. Sakura only lasts for about two weeks, and with the unsually hot winter Japan’s been having predictions for the start of sakura have been varying all month. It was supposed to be the weekend just gone but it seems it’s now going to be this coming weekend, which is generally the right time of the year from what I’ve read. However if it gets too windy or rainy, it won’t last long so I’m hoping the weather stays clement so we can enjoy it in its full glory. I’ve missed plum blossom, so I’d like to be able to enjoy this one!
And the other great thing about sakura is that it brings Hanami parties (hanami means watching flowers) where people get together and sit under the cherry blossom to ahem watch it… and while you’re watching cherry blossom you might as well make it more entertaining by drinking :lol: which is also what Hanami parties are for - getting together with a bunch of friends, drinking and just generally enjoying the weather and nature. Which as John remarked today as we walked through the park is a great way to celebrate the occasion - and while the Japanese might be hard working like no one else, when they relax and have time off (like some people do at the moment) they sure as hell know how to relax.
Already the other day when we went for a bike ride around where we live people where starting the Hanami sessions early, sitting under early cherry blossom (or partially blossomed trees) and drinking the afternoon away. I can imagine what it’s going to be like once it’s all in full bloom.
If all goes well we’ll be going to a big Hanami party at Kichijoji park on sunday - can’t wait. Until then here’s another Flickr photoset dedicated to sakura, I’ll be updating over the coming weeks with more pics of parks, people and of course cherry blossom.
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