Sakura

Spring is here, which in Japan means that the sakura are blooming. For the uninitiated, that means cherry blossoms. They are Japan's national flower and the Japanese go crazy for them. There are innumerable paintings, poems, and songs dedicated to cherry blossoms. You could probably stay at karaoke for two hours only singing songs titled Sakura.
The trees are ubiquitous throughout Japan and Kure is no exception. The pictures shown here are taken from my school and from a playground 50 meters from my apartment. Last night, I went flower viewing with some friends from the international center. Flower viewing, hanami, is quite popular at this time of year. Friends and coworkers typically gather under cherry trees, eat, chat, and take in the scenery. I was surprised when my friends asked me to go at night, but when we arrived I discovered there were many bright lights illuminating the hillside we were on. We had a nice, long conversation, about 50% of which I understood.
Most Japanese people are surprised when I tell them that I have actually been flower-viewing in America. In the Liberal Arts Quadrangle at the University of Washington, there are a plethora of cherry trees donated over the years by the Japanese government. The trees are shaped in a large "W". Check out the UW's website for some spring and fall pictures. During college, the flowers would bloom around the end of February, just as winter quarter was finishing and spring quarter was beginning. Though it was often blustery and cold, I used to sit outside and eat lunch with my friends. Seeing the trees now reminds me of my experiences in college.
Please enjoy these pictures.