Hanami. Cherry Blossoms. Spring in Japan.

[Bonobo]

I just wanted to post some of the photos of this weekends hanami (cherry blossom viewing).

Especially at a time like this, people felt the strong need to go out and enjoy themselves and soak up the transient beauty of the cherry blossoms with their families.

[csziggy]

1. Beautiful - thank you. It is so nice to see smiling facesamid so much beauty

[midnight]

2. Beautiful photos...

[dmr]

3. Absolutely beautiful.

It's good to see positive pics of Japan. Thanks for posting them.

:hi:

[jpgray]

4. Great shots. K&R

[Amerigo Vespucci]

5. In a world filled with differences...

...it's amazing how much the "global community" has in common.

I'm very familiar with cherry blossom viewing, and in my New England youth (born in Massachusetts, moved to California when I was 16), there was a similar yearly ritual, called "viewing the fall foliage." Between September and October, the leaves start to turn and New England becomes an explosion of "earth tones"...red, yellow, orange leaves on the trees and on the ground. Families pack into cars and drive around, just soaking it in.

A few years ago I was looking at a Salem New Hampshire Website, and they were talking about this...saying that "over the weekend, expect up to 5000 out-of-towners passing through."

It's "little things" like these that have staying power in life because they remind us of who we are and where we came from. In the aftermath of the earthquake & tsunami in Japan, it will be "little things"...simple pleasures, familiar and comforting moments...that greatly contribute to a return to "normal," although no one knows what that will look like at this point. I read something earlier today which drew parallels between the devastation in Japan and Hurricane Katrina, namely that as people headed away from the ravaged areas, there may come a decision to leave them "as is" rather than rebuild. One thing's for sure, and that is that full recovery isn't going to come overnight...so anything that brings people joy right now is a major blessing.

[Bonobo]

6. From Western Mass to Himeji, Japan

I lived in Western Mass for 10 years before I moved to Japan last year (for good). What you say is so true.

In Mass it was the seasonal flow of Maple Syrup (sugaring) > berries (blueberries, strwaberries, etc.) to foliage that measured the year.

Here it is the festivals. the procession of plum> peach> cherry blossoms. etc.

Both so beautiful.

[frazzled]

7. Nice thoughts, but one small correction

In New England, it's not called "viewing the fall foliage." It's called "leaf peeping"!

And yes, these communal events are very life-enhancing. It's good to remember that not everything is political, and not everything divides us.

[Bonobo]

8. I think "leaf peeping" is what the out-of-staters called it.

As I recall, people referred to it as seeing the "fo-lage".

[frazzled]

9. I lived in Massachusetts, and we called it leaf-peeping

In fact, until I moved there, I'd never heard the term before.

[Bonobo]

11. No offense, but it sounds like you might be from Eastern Mass.

In Western Mass, only people that have to travel out our way call it that. Everyone else already lives there and don't have to "peep". It is right there when they open their doors.

[intheflow]

13. I grew up in Western Mass,

lived there until my mid-thirties. We called the out-of-towners leaf-peepers but it was a kind of pejorative term, like saying "damn tourists!"

[Bonobo]

16. Ooops, I didn't want to say that. nt

[frazzled]

29. The Boston GLobe uses the term

Yes, I lived in the Boston area. But if the newspapers there use the term (television news as well) I assume it's local. Tourists don't usually read the local papers. So you're considering people from Eastern Massachusetts "tourists". They're as much New Englanders as people from Western MA:

http://www.boston.com/travel/explorene/specials/foliage/specials/foliagemap/

"Plan your leaf-peeping adventure ... "
"It doesn't get much better for leaf-peepers ... "

[Bonobo]

30. Well, if they come to Western Mass to see the leaves, they ARE tourists.

Western Mass and Eastern Mass are not the most comfortable of relationships.

People in Western Mass tend to resent their water being diverted to Boston and receiving few state dollars.

I really don't care that much, just reporting on the way it is.

[intheflow]

32. We used to say that for Bostonians,

the state disappeared just west of Weston. The only time they ever acknowledged we existed was 1) when their water supply was running low; 2) when we demanded they stop making us pay tolls on the Pike to finance the Big Dig; and 3) leaf-peeping and/or clogging up Route 32 in Brimfield for the flea market. A few of the Boston Brahmins made it out to their country estates in the summer to catch the BSO at Tanglewood, but they never mingled with the local riff-raff if they could help it.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

10. "The Best Places to View Fall Foliage"

Times have changed, but when I lived there, my parents and everyone I knew called it "viewing the fall foliage," and I never heard "leaf peeping" until you said it, just now.

:toast:

The Best Places to View Fall Foliage

Sunday, April 10, 2011
The Top Ten List for Fall Foliage 2010

http://www.usa-fallfoliage.com/

We're in for a fantastic Fall Season of Colors! Plan a fall leaf watching trip for the last week of September or the first week of October. The date of peak colors varies each year, but the leaves are usually past their prime by Thanksgiving weekend in the far north.

The leaves start turning their fall colors in September, but the peak time is usually the first two weeks of October.

History has shown us, however, that generally around the 2nd to 3rd weeks of October the colors of fall seem to be at their most brilliant stage. This does vary however. Over the last several years, we've noticed that many trees are still showing off their fall foliage well into November. The color change does not happen all at once. Trees at the higher elevations change first, and this change moves slowly down the mountains.

Both the amount of moisture and temperature difference (frost) can make good color come earlier or later, and the timing of the first frost can determine the intensity and timing of color. Summer drought can make leaves change sooner and dry summers, plus a wet September can cause intense, extensive fall color. In other words, not even the "experts" can tell us with great accuracy about the timing and intensity of peak color.

Get on our email alert list to know when Fall Colors are predominant in your area, of for an area where you have friends and relatives. Sign up right now!

The Foxfield Inn - Charlottesville, Virginia

Cliff Park Inn - Milford, Pennsylvania

Hermann Hill Vineyard and Inn - Hermann, Missouri

Red Rooster Inn - Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Lodge on Apple Pie Ridge - Alto, Georgia

Four Columns Inn - Newfane, Vermont

Hillside Inn - Ephraim, Wisconsin

Berry Springs Lodge - Sevierville, Tennessee

Good Medicine Lodge - Whitefish, Montana

The Victorian by the Sea - Camden, Maine

[Bonobo]

12. Sadly, the Sugar Maples are being overrun by Norway Maples.

Norway maples just don't turn colors like sugar maples...

[Art_from_Ark]

14. Is that you in the top picture, Bonobo?

Is that your island in Hiroshima? Gosh, it's so beautiful.

[Bonobo]

17. No, Art. Boku ha hakujin desu!

Also, I live off Himeji, not Hiroshima.

Please do a search for 家島 sometime if you have time.

Hope you are doing well. Always good to hear from you and I hope we can meet some day.

[Generic Other]

15. beautiful but fleeting life...

because the Sea King's son married Princess Flower instead of Princess Rock. If he'd chosen Lady Rock, mortals would live as long as the rocks incetad of having lives as fleeting and beautiful as the flowers.

Thanks so much for posting such a lovely reminder.

[Control-Z]

18. Holy shit!!

Those are some beautiful pics. Especially the third one down. Wow!

[girl gone mad]

19. Are they from this weekend?

They come from several different blogs and some are dated 2008. Just wondering.

[Bonobo]

20. Well I just did a google search for "hanami" pictures.

It is awfully hard to tease out search results.

[Hannah Bell]

22. ...

[Hannah Bell]

23. Video from tokyo here:

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2011/04/11/tokyo-cherry-blossom-time-less-crowded-still-a-party/

Concerns that a mood of introspective self-restraint might hinder Japan’s recovery from the March 11 disasters might have been overdone, if the last few days of the cherry blossom viewing season are anything to go by.

As the blossoms moved toward full bloom across the city, the season of “hanami” parties in Tokyo parks and gardens seemed to approach something closer to full swing over the weekend, after a hesitant start. Sections of Ueno Park carried the pungent smell of open beer cans, several rowdy groups blushing with inebriation, appeared to suggest that Tokyoites were ready to throw off the somber cloud of self-restraint, known as jishuku, that had settled on parts of the city in the month since the earthquake and tsunami disasters struck the northeast. Yoyogi Park in the west, between the usually lively Shibuya and Shinjuku districts, was a little less crowded than usual – but only marginally, with plenty of good-natured revelers and more than a few having to be helped home by friends after over-indulging.

[Bonobo]

24. The author of that article must not be integrated with Japanese society.

Anyone familiar with Japanese culture would not use the term "hanami parties".

:evilgrin:

[Hannah Bell]

25. the very special people who can integrate with japanese society are far & few

between. japanese culture is very special & deep, few can penetrate its mysteries.

[Bonobo]

26. Americans are avocados, Japanese are eggs.

See if you can figure out what that means, Hannah.

[Hannah Bell]

21. those must be fake pictures. because as everyone knows, all japanese

sit on straw mats & muse on the "imagery of bittersweet loss that accompanies too early and tragic death" during cherry-blossom festival.

sob.

[joshcryer]

27. What a beautiful family in that top pic!

Wonderful pic!

[malaise]

28. Lovely

Thanks

[On the Road]

31. I Had a Hanami in Chevy Chase with Some Japanese People a Few Years Ago

Now I'd like to see the real thing.