April 12, 2005

Hanami!

Well, its cherry blossom time in Nagoya, finally. The weather has been clearer and warmer (though I think a storm is coming, as I have a splitting headache). The cherry trees are blooming beautifully, though not right near our apartment. Those poor truncated trees have no buds, no leaves, nada. I don't think they will before we leave. But where I work there is a river (read: stream) called the Tempaku running right alongside where I work, and the banks are just covered in cherry trees. I keep forgetting my camera, but I'm determined to remember tomorrow.

In Japan, the cherry blossoms are enjoyed with hanami, parties where people drink alcohol and have a picnic and look at the beautiful flowers. The flowers are very short lived, so the quality of them is so precious and ephemeral. One of my coworkers, Leon, went home on Sunday. *weeps* Saturday night he sort of melded a farewell party with a hanami party in Tsurumai Park. Aimee and I headed over at about 9 pm, and the party was in full swing.

It was nothing like I'd imagined.

Somehow, when students talked about the flowers and picnics, I had a sort of Japonisme-like Victorian picnic vision. But this was more like a carnival in Riverside, with all the food vendors and travelling games, drunk people cavorting. (One student told me that she had seen a drunken university student up in one of the trees, completely naked). The flowers really spread over the park, and there are many tarps on the ground. You have to take your shoes off to go onto the tarps, and there is karaoke and people playing guitars and violins. It's really crazy. My pictures didn't come out very well, as I didn't want to use flash and my camera doesn't take good nighttime pictures. (I want a new camera...come to me, Canon Ixy in Vibrant Red...) But I did get a few.

And yes, Boog, I had major Subaru moments...I'm a little worried about heading to Kyoto this weekend...*guards hands*
honami 1.jpg

honami 2.jpg

sakura 1.jpg

I'll post daytime pictures when I get them. Ah...feel the glory of pink!

Posted by Mandy at April 12, 2005 12:03 AM
Comments

Hi Mandy, The night-time cherry blossom pictures are beautiful. Thank you for sharing them. How long into the evening or night does the partying go on? Are the blooms in any color but pink? Did you keep any of the blossoms to dry or press? I guess I have lots of questions. Have a good time.

Posted by: Mom at April 12, 2005 10:30 AM

Heya, Mom! The partying can go on until 4 in the morning. The blooms are sort of a pinky/white, really, and can vary a little. I didn't keep any of the blossoms...they're not really the type of flowers that keep well. Love you and miss you!

Mandy

Posted by: Mandy at April 14, 2005 05:29 PM