桜

Spring is arriving here in Japan, heralded by the blooming cherry blossom trees! Cherry blossom trees really are everywhere here. I had no idea that so many of the trees in Japan are indeed cherry blossom trees, going incognito with their plain green leaves for 11 months out of the year. There are many gorgeous parks that are all cherry blossom trees which are quite spectacular to walk through. But even just driving around, so many of the roads are lined with cherry blossom trees, they are also dispersed throughout neighborhoods and even in the woods. It has been really neat this week to see (at every turn!) trees full of white blooms that I used to think were just regular green trees!

Last weekend, I joined some friends in another town to go to a little community hanami. We arrived to find long low tables set up on top of bamboo mats which were spread out in the yard, with a single cherry blossom tree on the side. They had grills set up where they were preparing yakisoba, takoyaki, yakitori, and miso soup. Upon sitting down we were brought several plates of food to share among the people sitting around us.

After eating lunch, one of my friends joined his taiko group to give the entertainment for the afternoon. The group members took turns beating on a single drum for their carefully choreographed set which they closed by coming together to play on the drum all at once. It was really neat to watch since it is a much more casual and playful style than what my taiko group does. 

In the evening we headed over to a local park to enjoy more cherry blossoms! This park is on top of a small hill and is covered in cherry blossom trees. Walking along the paths is so lovely because you are walking under a gorgeous, thick canopy of white blossoms.