Sakura (cherry blossoms), in the words of Wikipedia, have "always been a symbol of ephemeral beauty in Japan and closely associated with samurai or bushi. Life was considered brief and beautiful, much like a cherry blossom." Every populated riverbank and park in Japan ornamented with sakura trees and every spring millions and billions of Japanese people eat and drink under these trees with family and friends to celebrate spring, family and friends, and good beer and bbq. This is called "hanami" which is derived from the characters 花見. Flower + to see = 花見。
Unfortunately, sakura season only last about two weeks, if that, so the merry-making and relaxation is short-lived and we're back to the daily 12-hour grind and lunches are once again reduced to 5 minute speed-eating contests. Not me, of course.
Anyways, here are some pics of the Kirito River which runs beside my apartment.
Funny story about this guy. I was biking home one day and saw this grandpa throwing bread to the carp in the river. I thought to myself, what a great picture, too bad I don't have my camera with me. The next day I was biking home at the usual time and lo! and behold, the same grandpa wearing the same clothes, doing the same thing at the same time. And I had my camera with me so I took his picture.
Not very many people on this side, but on the other side of the bridge there were tons of people. I didn't take pictures because I was on this side of the road and who wants to cross a road just to take a picture?
At night, the trees were lit up. Personally I preferred to see them at night, especially if you walk underneath them and just look up and see the fullest bloom possible contrasted against the black sky above... it's really really beautiful.
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