My students from various schools asked me what is (are) my favorite season(s) here in Japan and I always have the same answers: spring and autumn. It’s astounding to see the ubiquity of pink shades and red or orange hues during the blooming and falling seasons. Likewise, the weather and temperature during these seasons are at its best when it’s not too cold nor too hot compared to winter and summer. If you can get the idea how bleak and how intensely agitating the temperatures are when they reach their lowest and highest points.
Tourism in Japan is at its peak from March to April — when sakura shows its splendour to the world. They say travelling to/ in Japan is expensive especially during this season. Indeed, it is. However, one can still enjoy the blooming sakura without spending a single penny for entrance fees (notwithstanding spending some yen for transpo in and from the place).
Living in Japan for almost 3 years now, I’ve been spending my cherry blossoms days in city parks that were free but still gratifying to my pair of keen eyes. (Well, honestly, most of the parks here are free anyway. :D) If you followed my previous post about Gujo City, we haven’t ticked off hanami from the reasons of going there. Blooming schedule was late for this year; it’s the 2nd week of April already and still, sakura buds were too shy to prove its beauty. We indemnified ourselves with the only blooming tree in Gujo and took as many pictures as we pleased (yes, under that single tree :D).
Little did we know, God had a surprise for us the following day. We were in for a treat after worshipping Him that Sunday morning. Kuya Cal took a different route going home from church and it’s a blessing in disguise since he passed by the park where sakura trees in array were in its flourishing peak. We then decided to have the deferred pictorial sessions after lunch.
To our delight, it’s such an excellent timing since a matsuri was held in the park during that day, too. Festivals are usually fêted during Saturdays and it magnifies our excitement that even we’re there on a Sunday, we have food to choose from after capturing some shots with the Japan’s historic tree. Indeed, God always has the best timing.
This year`s (2017) hanami locations:
- Minokamo City
- Sunomata, Ogaki City
- Kani City
Enjoy and have fun!
