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It finally happened. And now, I fear, it’s unhappening.
But that was going to happen anyway. It’s in its nature.
The past week featured great boreal bursts of whites and pinks, exploding on the banks of the Kamo River, along the canal in the center of the city, on the hillsides and in the neighborhoods: A profusion of blossoms. The cherry blossom (sakura) bloom came last week, all over Kyoto. Glorious, delicate, timeless. Classic Japan. (I have a whole chapter about it in my book, Japan From Anime to Zen.)
Unfortunately, Kyoto has been largely grey all week, with cloud cover blocking out the sunshine that would make the blossoms really sparkle and glow. It’s hard enough to capture the full glory of the bloom even in sunshine, and I’m afraid my shots don’t really give the full impression of how beautiful this is. Apologies.
Nevertheless, the bloom has arrived, and it seemed to peak over the weekend, and the banks of the river were covered with people, picnicking under the blossoms (a tradition known as Hanami, literally “flower viewing”) and posing for photos, enjoying this quintessential spring activity in Japan. My little group of friends joined them, spreading a Hanami blanket out under the blossoms to eat and chat and watch the trees spread above us.
We were not alone.
Good thing we did, because it’s been pouring rain ever since! As I’m currently staying in an exquisitely-designed architectural marvel that lets the outside in (visually), I’m experiencing that rain very directly. I’m not wet, but everything around me is. Once again, I am reminded why Japan is so remarkably green.
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