“What a strange thing to be alive beneath cherry blossoms.”
― Kobayashi Issa, Poems
Everybody looks forward to spring in Japan. It is even an exciting thing for allergy sufferers like me because it means that pollens are beginning to wane in quantity. And most specially because of the magical weeklong blooming of cherry blossoms. The “Sakura” season stands out as one of the best times to be in Japan.
I never really understood the magic of sakura. Sure the flowers are nice and the picnics fun. But it took me a while to understand its impact on the lives of people living here. A few years later, as I walked in an unbelievably huge park filled with cherry blossom trees, I was blown away by its beauty. It is like seeing a dramatic sunset in Boracay but exquisitely different; like experiencing the piercing charm of standing infront of a full view of a snow capped mountain surrounded by a quiet lake. Sakura season presents Japan in its finest, so fresh and hopeful and truly promising. It is a must-see.
But to truly enjoy Sakura, one must not hurry like most tourists do. They snap pictures, spend more time on their phones, taking a video or sharing the photos online. Then they run to the next park and do the same. They grab a Sakura flavored ice cream and marvel at the Sakura themed bento (lunch) boxes. They spring from one spot to the next. And then they walk away.
The anticipation of the cherry blossom adds to the excitement. People are very careful in following the forecast, plan their week around it and make it a point to spend time with colleagues, family and friends. My most memorable hanami or picnics during the cherry blossom season are those spent with people I care about. I had gone out with colleagues in Showa Kin-en park, with church friends in Yoyogi and Shinjuku gyoen, enjoyed “yozakura” or hanami (picnic) at night near the Tokyo Tower with my Japanese girlfriends. It was crowded, absolutely tiring but crazy fun. And my top favorites are those I had with Pido. Our favorite places to see cherry blossoms are Inokashira park in Kichijoji and Koganei park near Higashi-Koganei. We go on a weekday to avoid the crowds and we take our time walking around sniffing spring as much as we could.
Sakura in Kichijoji’s Inokashira park
It can be really crowded.
Hanami with church friends a few years ago at Shinjuku Gyoen.
That spring I longed for a daughter.
Spring in Koganei Park. It is also our favorite place because it houses the very interesting Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum
Who would have thought that Pido and I would be going around the park this year to enjoy spring, this time with our own little girl.
littlegreatjoys 