Cherry Blossom Photos (Japan)

Those of you who are signed up for the Sunday Newsletter know I recently spent three weeks in Japan. I was in Funabashi for the majority of the time, which is just outside of Tokyo, but I did venture into the city a few times, as well as down the Izu Peninsula to Shimoda, which is about a 2.5 hour train ride southwest of Tokyo.

In Japanese, cherry blossoms are called sakura. I was fortunate enough to see the entire bloom from the very first buds until after most of the blossoms fell to the ground. Of course, different latitudes and elevations bloom at different times, so the sakura up north were probably still blossoming upon my departure. Although Japan is a small country, it’s a big island, almost the size of California. I only saw a tiny portion of it, relatively speaking.

Sakura bloom quickly and emerge intensely beautiful, perhaps too beautiful to last. The bloom ends as quickly as it started, the peak lasting only a few days before the petals create a beautiful blizzard as they flutter to the ground with the wind. Such is life.

I hope you enjoy the cherry blossom photos as well as the extras, and feel free to share them by clicking the little buttons to your left.

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Cherry blossoms along the Ebi-gawa (Shrimp River) in Funabashi (eight photos):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pink variety:

 

Near the Imperial Palace on a rainy day (next three photos):

 

 

 

Cherry blossom blizzard on the Ebi-gawa (next four photos):

 

 

 

 

A carp feasting on cherry blossom petals:

 

Road to Atami Castle:

 

Looking south from Atami Castle, scattered cherry blossoms in the mountains:

 

Park below Atami Castle:

 

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“Commencement and Peace” sculpture by Norihiko Minoda:

 

Shinkansen, aka Bullet Train:

 

Very old fart art, which I will call faart:

 

Atami from Atami Castle:

 

Shimoda sunset:

 

Hell Valley, which smells like rotten eggs from the natural sulfur:

 

This is something I miss quite a bit:

 

Fuji through the reeds:

 

Road with Fuji looming large in the background:

 

Thanks for visiting 😉