Flux

All things are in a constant state of change and movement, as is this blog. My moving from one place to another will cause this change, but only in subject matter, hopefully not in tone or mood. Contemplating change and movement make me think of all the hotel rooms I have stayed in; the feeling that you are here, in this particular space, only temporarily.

Well the temporary and the changeable have never looked as seductive as they do in this.....

Best things: Cherry Blossom

This post is a little after the fact and unashamedly based on this idea, sorry! But you can forgive me if I promise to give you a really long post, right? To tell you the truth during the very short cherry blossom viewing season (or in Japanese, O-hanami, お花見) I try to spend as little time as possible indoors and as much time as I can sitting in the park looking up at the trees. Here are my collected thoughts on four years of participating in this distinctly Japanese tradition.

But first of all there are lots of flowers, why choose to celebrate cherries? I guess mostly it has to do with the weather. Originally flower viewing parties were held in honour of plum blossoms, in my opinion lovelier and better smelling than cherries, but these bloom in the very early Spring (around the end of February, beginning of March) and its just too cold to sit and drink under a tree all day. People still do go out to admire the plums, but not nearly to the same extent as cherries! The photo below is of some beautiful, shocking pink plum flowers under an icy February sky.

The cherry trees on the other hand bloom, for the most part, at the beginning of April, when Japanese weather is at it's most lovely with warm, sunny days and blue skies. Thus in parks, along riverbanks, around school playgrounds and at the corner of people's gardens the tree of choice is the cherry. From the end of March in Okinawa to the South, right through to the beginning of May, in the North of Hokkaido the country changes from Wintry bare branches to clouds of pale pink and white blossoms everywhere you look.

Its only two weeks! This does seem like a very short time to get so worked up over something like flowers. But I think that one of the joys of the cherry blossom viewing is its brevity; if the flowers lasted any longer the need to go out and enjoy them would loose some of its importance and defiantly loose the sense of urgency all O-hanami preparations contain. Someone once explained to me that the cherry blossoms remind Japanese people of the beauty and ultimately the shortness of life, how we must grab any and every opportunity to celebrate it. Once the petals start to fall, it's all over.

In this very short season the naturally reserved people of Japan fit in a years worth of partying and celebration with friends, family and co-workers. I'm not joking, each year the number of people hospitalised due to o-hanami related mishaps is huge! All the cherry trees in the country will be surrounded by people of all ages enjoying the festivities together.

How does one celebrate the occasion? First off you need an 遠足マト, a leisure mat, to sit on, the cuter the better and most importantly a good spot under a blooming cherry tree. The mat should be fairly easy to get, from the middle of March most shops in Japan begin to sell all the many items you might need for your O-hanami party at the front of the store.

However the spot under the tree may be more problematic than you first think. It isn't unusual for companies to send the office junior to the nearest park before work starts to get the prime spot near the most beautifully blooming tree. Competition starts early and this surely must be going through every serious O-hanami goer's mind! Don't be suprised at turning up at your chosen cherry blossom spot at ten in the morning, only to find all the trees surrounded by people and the only bare ground for your party near the one non-cherry tree, next year you'll get there earlier, right?

What do you do all day at the O-hanami party? One of my favourite Japanese sayings goes like this 花より団子 (hana yori dango), or in English, dumplings over flowers. Its a bit of a joke about the true priorities at a cherry blossom party, sure the flowers are nice, but were is the food? Eating and drinking are the order of the day, from the simplest and cheapest visit to the conbini five minutes before you enter the park, to the full on traditional and extremely time consuming, bento lunches.

I recently discovered a number of enterprising pizza delivery companies are now willing to deliver to parks during O-hanami season! However the commonest and most definitely the easiest method is a sort of "pot-luck picnic", with everyone bringing something (home-made or shop bought) to share. The photo above is of the very beginnings of the day long picnic. As new people arrive the food and drinks are replenished, so no-one is ever without something to munch on.

If you want to do something other than eating? Well bringing a camera is always a good idea. I know it sounds like a no brainer, but I'm sure at least a quarter of all the photos I've ever taken have been at snap-happy all day O-hanami parties. All the photos in this post have been taken by me during numerous O-hanami parties at many different parks and whilst out walking during the first few weeks of April. The flowers, your friends, the cute children roaming around while their parents get quietly drunk, the World is your photo shoot!

So there you have it, eat, drink and be merry, just remember to avoid disappointment and grab your spot as early as possible! That's it, the condensed guide to cherry blossom viewing parties and why it is one of my favourite things. I do hope you have the chance to enjoy the many flowers of Spring no matter what they may be or where you happen to be.......みな乾杯!

Look of the day 3

Muted colours and neck brace chic with a long scarf. 

Off to do the weekly food shop in my favourite t-shirt and opened toed sandals. I'm not too sure if the weather is finally warm enough for bare feet or if I'm being to optimistic.

..... I promise a very long post very soon!

A walk in the woods

....... Well as close to woods as you can get in the middle of Tokyo. A walk through the slightly less well traveled corners of Shinjuku gyoen.

 I've never been to this part of the park before, but the magical fortress/castle like roots poking up from the ground mean I will definitely be back.

 Camellia petals surrounded by cherry blossom, this tree was extremely photogenic.

 The first time I've worn sandals this year, it's good to feel the air on my toes....... but my feet are so pale!

 The last of the cherry blossom.

 Bare bones at the French formal garden.

Friday feelings 5

The prospect of a rainy weekend ahead, nothing that a little Stevie Nicks can't fix, right? Find all your most floaty clothes and have a dance around the room.....

I need to get better at posting these on Fridays, rather than some time mid-weekend......