I have cherry blossom fever!

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Spring has sprung in Japan...and it's beautiful! (Apparently the nice, moderate weather doesn't last too long, so I have to enjoy it before it gets hot.)

It's cherry blossom time, and it's a big deal in Japan. Hanami parites are cherry blossom viewing parties, where family, friends or co-workers gather on large blue tarps under the trees and enjoy looking at the blossoms while having a picnic of beer, sake and snacks. These parties were in full force this weekend, not mention everything else cherry blossom related: food at the grocery flavoured with cherry blossom fillings, cherry blossom decorations in all the stores, cherry blossom lanterns lining the streets and pictures of cherry blossom trees hanging in family homes. It's a major deal! I joined a group of about 50 people at the Fukuyama castle for an 8 hour picnic. It was fantastic! Everyone was relaxed and in great spirits....a wonderful atmosphere. I LOVE the hanami tradition.

People travel far and wide throughout Japan to see the cherry blossom trees. I've visited a number of places, but pretty close to home....parks and temples in Innoshima and Onomichi. I hope you can enjoy the beauty of Japanese sacura (cherry blossoms) through my pictures....

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Photos

on my walk home from school....
at an Innoshima temple

lanterns
Innoshima Park

spring time relaxation
enjoying his family Hanami at Fukuyama castle

new friends
Fukuyama castle

Fukuyama castle
blossoms and lanterns light up the night

our lunch time Hanami last week
Dana and Yoshida-san

Comments

[Stayshi]

Oh la la!
Hey Heather! Great pictures! Kirei, desu ne?! I love the picture of "Overlooking Onomichi and the Seto Inland Sea." Really pretty! Who says you have to travel far from home to engage in the magic of the sakura? :)

[Roothie]

Beauty!
What a beautiful festival and reason to celebrate! We should have something like that here after the Looonnnggg winter! In the old days in Applewood Acres, we could have had "Apple Blossum Festival"! I cherry blossums smell fabulous...is there a perfume like it? (There used to be one called, "Apple Blossum". Wonder how the blue tarp tradition came about..guess it's just pretty damp on the ground still? Keep on taking those pics and preserving memories!

[Dad]

your travel blog about cherry blossoms was very interesting. what a nice tradition it is. sitting with family and friends under a tree in full bloom and having a picnic complete with beer and sake, how civilized

[Stayshi]

China wa doko desu ka?!
Heza-san! Get working on those China travel blogs! I can't wait to read about, and see the pictures of your adventures:)