Flower Viewing

Spring has come to Matsue and all the cherry blossoms have bloomed. This means it's time for 花見! (Hanami, or  flower viewing) Sakura (cherry blossoms) only bloom for about a week, so during that time, everyone rushes out to sit under the trees and relax while enjoying their beauty.

People arrange hanami with their families, clubs, co-workers, classes, etc. They spread out tarps as close to the trees as possible, often having someone camp out overnight on their tarp to save their spot. (I always feel bad for whoever got that short straw...)

Then, everyone brings food and drinks and they have a lovely picnic party under the sakura petals wafting in the breeze.

I went to two hanami this year, one with Heather and the Kashima eikaiwa (English conversation school) we hang out with, and one with my fellow ALTs.

The Kashima Eikaiwa hanami was at night by the castle. Everyone brought some food to share, and we chatted in English and I ate way too much of Kako and Tetsuko's delicious cooking. I brought Raspberry Lemonaide Kool-aid (My favorite!) which was a big hit. The color was especially appreciated. (It looks like windshield wiper fluid.) I also brought cookies and American Popcorn. Ah, Daiso. You fulfill all my snack needs.

 Matsue Castle, lit up for 花見 

The lanterns are actually advertisements for local businesses.

 Heather unpacking her goodies.

 "Boss" Tetsuko keeping it real.

 Tetsuko, Yuka, and Heather on our tarp! Oh excuse me, it's called a "Leisure Sheet" here. Its sole purpose seems to be picnicking.

 The view from our "Leisure Sheet"

 Delicious food! Carrot cake made by Tetsuko

 Yum! Kako, Mai-chan, Yuko, Takoyaki, and Testuko

 Dried seaweed. Very crispy. Check out my American Popcorn behind it! What makes it American? I don't know, that's what it says on the bag!

 Heather truly appreciates the crispness of the seaweed.

 It's like a giant leaf!

 Yuko made delicious chocolate cake. Yum!

 Yuko and Takoyaki

 Tetsuko and Yuka

 Yay hanami! Can you find the American popcorn bag?

 Folding up the tarp and heading home. The castle grounds closed at 9.

 Heather and Kako. Obviously doing a great job helping clean up. lol.

We had our ALT hanami on Saturday afternoon. The weather was beautiful! Saki, Jake, and I rode to Matsue Castle to meet everyone else, stopping at Daiso to pick up some snacks, some leisure sheets, and a beach ball. This time we sat in the courtyard area, not by the castle. It's more open, and had lots of people.

 Look! A petal floated down and landed on me!

 Ty and Kayla

 Saki and Jake

 It was very windy, but nice!

We blew bubbles! Then Saki gave the bubble stuff to some small children. Cute.

Overall, a lovely hanami season was had. Now all the sakura trees are bloomless and ugly until next year. Sigh.