hanami 2006

An archiveed picture of some students from Western Female High School (Baltimore, Maryland) during cherry blossoms in 1941.

Here is one of the two things that can never be overrated in Japan- hanami (花見). Trying to catch a glimpse of its short-lived full bloom bestows a sense of urgency on the already hyped annual event.

The people here take it pretty serious. They orderly sardine into crowded parks or wooded areas to picnic with friends and family under the trees, often in the evening when drinking is involved. My personal favorite though, is not when the flowers are blossoming but right after, when the uniquely pink petals fall like snow, enveloped in artificial twilight.

As of today (2006.4.12), the conditions of cherry blossoms through out Japan (although with rain being dumped down the way it has been, in kanto (関東) at least, maybe there will be hardly any flowers left):


http://woman.excite.co.jp/garbo/sakura/