Cherry Blossoms 桜

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We came back to Japan from our Spring Break trip on April 5th, and found the cherry trees, or sakura, in full bloom. Hanami, which literally means flower viewing, is a popular spring time activity in Japan. People bring picnic lunches and drinks and sit out under the trees for the afternoon, observing the short-lived beauty of the blossoms. The weather reports include information on the cherry blossom front as it moves north, and when peak bloom times will be. Above is a popular hanami spot in Ono, about a 5 minute walk from our house and close to the schools that we each teach at on Mondays and Thursdays. As classes had yet to start, Joe and I were able to meet for a hanami lunch twice during cherry blossom week. On Thursday while we were eating lunch, an older woman came and began to play a traditional Japanese flute, which was amazing. Below is a skyward view of the trees in Ono.
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From our second floor window, we had a view of the Ono sakura.
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On Saturday we went to Himeji with our friend Aiko to do hanami near the castle.
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Aiko snacking on a custard pastry.
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There were thousands of people gathered for hanami around the castle, it felt like a national day of picnics.
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We spent most of the afternoon eating snacks, drinking tea, and chatting.
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Himeji castle and sakura.....
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A shrine near the castle.
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In the evening we stopped into a hip interior design shop in Himeji and had a fantastic dinner of contemporary Japanese food. A perfect day.