Sakura, Sakura, Sakura!

When people think of Japan - one of the most commonly pictured images (after sushi and ninjas) is cherry blossoms (sakura). I remember enjoying cherry blossom season when I lived in Washington DC. There were tons of trees around the tidal basin (that Japan had gifted to the US) and people came from all over to see them! Little did I know that six years later I would be experiencing true sakura viewing Japan-style!

Sakura season here is exactly that...a season! Beginning in late February - signs advertising the blooms begin popping up around town and on subways. Then, sakura-flavored everything began to fill the shelves...coffee drinks, kit kats, cookies, crackers, mochi, you name it - they have it! The news and various websites begin to forecast when the sakura will be in "full bloom" in various areas of Japan. Full bloom was slotted to be a bit earlier in Nagoya this year - but some cold and windy weather pushed the date back about a week. Slowly sakura blooms began to pop up around Japan...and hanami party planning begins. 

Hanami is the Japanese word that means "cherry blossom viewing." People flock to parks, gardens, and anywhere they can find sakura to picnic and hanami. It is very common to set up a blue tarp under the trees and picnic (so much eating and drinking) from morning until night. The parks get crowded - and so people often set their tarps up at 4am to hold their spots. At night, the sakura are often lit up - so the parties can continue into the wee hours of the morning. These parties don't just happen on the weekends...they happen for about two weeks straight. When I was looking up information about hanami - I actually found several websites that tell you how to party/picnic. Here's the link if you're curious. 

http://japan-magazine.jnto.go.jp/en/1202_sakurahanami.html

Not wanting to miss "peak" - I did a bit of research about the best places to view the blossoms in the Nagoya area. I even visited several of the areas before the trees bloomed - so I could truly appreciate what full bloom looked like! After scoping out a few places - we decided that we'd spend our Saturday "hanami-ing" at the botanical gardens. Our friends and fellow Cincinnatians, the Bauer's, joined us for the party.

We're #3 in line!

Wanting to make sure we got a spot - and not entirely sure what to expect - Kaz and I arrived at the botanical gardens around 8:15am (after securing many pastries, coffee drinks, and juices). The gardens didn't open until 9am - and we were happy to be the third people in line. Once the park opened - we were able to secure our picnic spot and take some great pictures before the park filled with people. Then, we spent the day sitting on a blanket, eating, talking, playing card games, and enjoying the blooms and people watching. The park closed around 4:30pm - so that's when we wrapped up our party. We were planning to head down to the river to experience "nighttime sakura" but the temperature dropped and we decided that we had to save some aspect of hanami for next year!

As I write this blog, most of the trees are losing their blossoms. It's windy today - and when the wind blows - the sakuras "snow" and people walking by get surrounded by petals as they flutter to the ground. It's about as beautiful as the trees in full bloom!

Here are some pictures of the sakura in different stages and in different places around the Nagoya area! The pictures don't do the beauty justice - though I hope you can still enjoy!  

Himeji Castle

Higashiyama Koen Botanical Garden

So many types and colors! 

Hanami-ing! 

Heiwa Koen (Heiwa Park)

Around our Neighborhood

Sunny Moments: Sakura, sakura, sakura - soaking in the beauty of Japan!

Cloudy Moments: Pictures that don't do the beauty justice!

Month 3 in Review

Spring has sprung in Japan as we wrap up our first three months here. The sakura are in full bloom - and beautiful! Each time I think I've found the most beautiful tree - I stumble across another one. Stay tuned for a blog post that exclusively features sakura! 

In many ways - it seems like we've been here for three months and in other ways it doesn't. Time (and distance) are funny things. Each day brings new experiences, new victories, and new challenges. Kaz and I continue to learn, grow, and take each day one step at a time! 

Here's Month 3 in a nutshell! 

Places Visited
As the weather has gotten nicer - I've ventured out a bit more on my own and explored our "neighborhood" and surrounding areas.

-Atsuta Shrine (Atsuta is said to be one of the most important Shinto shrines in Japan. It enshrines the Sun Goddess Amaterasu and the sacred sword, Kusanagi. The sword is one of the three Imperial Regalia believed to have played a role in the formation of Japan. The other two - a mirror and jewel - are in shrines in other parts of Japan).  Funny story - as I was walking to the subway stop from the shrine I stumbled across a street lined with people. It appeared as though they were waiting for something - they all had their cameras out and kept cheering. There were even security guards. So, not being able to ask anyone what was going on...I hung around for about 40 minutes. At one point - a car pulled up - and everyone screamed and cheered. Then, it was over. I didn't see who got out of the car...but I am going to hypothesize that someone "famous" was eating at the restaurant that we were standing in front of. Everyone else stayed around to see the person come out...but I decided to head home. 
-Higashiyama Koen Zoo & Botanical Garden (About a 10 minute walk from our house; we bought our yearly passes and are excited to visit A LOT! Our first visit helped us to scope this out as our "spot" for the hanami - cherry blossom viewing.


-Osu Kannon Temple and Shopping District (The shopping district is packed with interesting little shops and food vendors. The smells and people watching are AMAZING! I think the only proof you need is the fact that I saw a real pig wearing sunglasses sitting in the passenger's seat of a red convertible! -Tsurama Park (More sakura searching - however, lucky for us there was some type of event going on in which people were dressed up like Japanese cartoon characters. There were a lot of photo shoots going on - but we had to be sneaky with our pictures since you can't silence the photo sound on the phones in Japan).
-Toganji Temple (A giant Buddha in the middle of our neighborhood).
-Yamazakigawa River walk
-Himeji Castle & Kyoto (see most recent travel entry for those specifics)

% Arabica had the most beautiful view ever! 

Cafes Enjoyed 
-Kannon Coffee
-Cafe Lamp (near Himeji Castle)
-% Arabica

Do you see the face in my mocha!!? 

-Metsa

Kit Kat Flavors Tasted
When we were in Tokyo at the end of February (before I headed back to the US), we found a store that sold TONS of Kit Kats. Needless to say, we stocked up on several new flavors. This month was filled with trying many of the new flavors! I also brought lots home for family and friends to try - so now they're in on the craze too!

Shinkoku Chugoku Citrus Blend (tasted like an orange creamsicle)
Tokyo Rum Raisin
Toasted Sweet Potato (package says to toast in toaster - but then it tasted like burnt sugar)
Sakura Matcha
Red Potato
Pancake (the Easter flavor - even though Japan doesn't celebrate Easter...they look like bunnies)
Wasabi

Victories

Month 3 has brought some interesting "victories" for me.

-Using a "squat" toilet! While Japan is known for their rather "futuristic" toilets...the ones that play music, have heated seats, etc...they also have "squat" toilets (I'm actually not sure of the real name) which are basically glorified holes in the ground. These were the first toilets I saw when we arrived in Japan - in the airport...and to be honest, I freaked out!  Luckily - as I opened some more stalls - I found the "western" toilets. Phew! Every time I am in a public bathroom - I can't help but wonder how everyone is okay using these. I would imagine it would be challenging in so many ways - not to mention painful on your leg muscles. It boggles my mind when the 90 year-old woman come out of the stalls! It's been VERY easy to avoid using these toilets since coming to Japan - so when I went into the bathroom in Kyoto before an hour hike and found ONLY "squat" toilets...I immediately turned around and walked out. As I returned to where Kaz was standing - I soon realized that this was my only option...so back I went. Luckily it was not as bad as I had imagined (and there were directions on the wall in English!) - however, I will reserve other experiences like this for emergency only situations! ;)

-Surviving my first earthquake! Last Friday, while exploring the riverside in search of sakura...I didn't actually get there due to getting super lost and pouring rain...I experienced my first earthquake. Kaz and I have talked a lot about earthquakes since coming to Japan since they are normal - and I have never experienced one. We have an emergency bag in our apartment - and an "emergency area" (a local park) to go to if needed. I hadn't, however, considered what I would do if I wasn't at home when an earthquake hit. I had just picked my phone up to take a picture - when my phone starting make really loud noises (even though it was on silent) and an emergency message popped up in Japanese. I instantly realized it was an earthquake and froze. Then, the alarms starting going off outside - spouting off information in Japanese. Kaz texted me at the same time to let me know an earthquake was going to hit. Japan has amazing technology and they are actually able to give people 7-10 seconds of warning before an earthquake hits...which is the time needed to get to safety. I knew I was actually in the best position - outside, by a river, with nothing that could fall on my head. And yet, I had the urge to get inside since that is how I handle all other natural disasters in life. So...I awkwardly sat on a bench and waited. And waited. And waited. As I did, runners and bikers passed by as though nothing was happening. After a few minutes, I got a text from Kaz - saying all was clear. I actually hadn't felt the earthquake at all. It was about 200 miles away from us - but I think my location so close to sea level played a huge role in not even feeling a little shake. Kaz felt the earthquake at work - and several other people we know felt it in their houses. It was a good experience for me - to now know what the sirens and alerts are like. Next time, I may be a tad calmer (I was shaking like a leaf) maybe I'll even feel a little shake. 

Goals

- Continue to put myself out there a bit more. I have been meeting lots of people through school and some of the meet-up groups/events. I tend to hold back a bit, though, and wait to be invited to these types of things. I am hoping over the next month to put myself out there a bit more - to initiate or even set up an event so that I can meet more people...and expand my network here.

- Talk more - and attempt to communicate a bit more in Japanese. I am finding that is it easy to just smile, nod, and use my typical one-word utterances at stores and such. However, that isn't helping me to learn or become anymore confident in my Japanese skills. 

-Appreciate the time and space...and slower pace of life as I continue to find a "new normal" for myself.

-Explore more...not only in my neighborhood - but perhaps in planning some little weekend trips. 

-Add to our "To Do" list on the blog! :)

Sunny Moments

In addition to the ones above...

-A healed ankle - which means getting back into running!

-Feeling a bit more comfortable exploring my "neighborhood." 

-Learning more about Japanese culture - taking a Shippo class. 

-Spring, sakura, and sunny skies...beautiful!! 

-A visit from Sophia - and getting to explore new places in Japan!

-Beginning to talk with friends about their potential visits.

Cloudy Moments

In addition to the ones above...

-A bit of homesickness once returning from the US

-Moments when the novelty of Japan has worn off a bit

-Wanting to use small talk with people...and not being able to

-Learning to find "routine" in a world where I have a bit less of one

-Doubt and negative self-talk that sometimes creep in...

Sun, clouds, sakura and love! 

~Jaime

Travel Entry - Himeji Castle & Kyoto

Me & Sophia

A friend of mine from graduate school, Sophia (who is currently working as a speech-language pathologist in Shanghai, China) visited us in Japan last week. We took advantage of a sunny weekend to explore both Himeji Castle and Kyoto. The cherry blossoms (sakura) were slated to be in full bloom that weekend; however, due to a drop in temperature - the date of full bloom was pushed back about a week. The sites were still stunning - and we did manage to find some trees that had bloomed a bit early! 

Kyoto is the ancient imperial capital of Japan - and a MUST-see for those who visit Japan. Kyoto was one of the few cities in Japan that was not bombed - and so a lot of the temples, castles, and shrines are original (with the normal "wear and tear" restorations). Kyoto definitely has the "traditional" feel - unlike many other parts of Japan - and I think it paints the picture of traditional Japanese life. 

~*Himeji Castle*~

The Shinkansen

Himeji Castle is located in Himeji, Japan (about a 45-minute shinkansen (bullet train) ride outside of Kyoto). Himeji Castle is the largest castle in Japan and is also regarded as the finest surviving examples of "protoypical Japanese castle architecture." Himeji Castle was first built as a fort in 1333; and then as a castle in 1346. Over the years the castle has been remodeled, expanded upon, and updated by many imperial members. Interestingly, most of the town of Himeji was bombed at the end of World War II, but the castle was untouched. I read that a firebomb was dropped on the top floor of the castle, but failed to explode.  In 1993, the castle was registered as one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Japan. 

The gardens

We found one tree in bloom! 

We were able to walk through the castle - and climb the super challenging staircases (the steps are all different widths and heights to make it difficult for intruders) all the way to the top floor. What a view! We were also able to walk through some other buildings and a beautiful garden with a cute restaurant and tea house.

After roaming around the castle - we followed our noses to a street fair that was serving TONS of Japanese treats. The best thing was that almost every booth was offering free samples - so we had our fill of mochi, rice crackers, fried chicken, and even sake! I was browsing the sake booth - not really planning on trying any - when a Japanese man tapped my shoulder as said - "Try it!" in perfect English! Oh, and I almost forgot to mention - I finally found some sakura soft serve - YUM!! 

View from the top of Himeji Castle

~*Fushimi Inari-Taisha*~ (Kyoto)

Fushimi Inari-Taisha is the head shrine of Inari - the god of rice. The shrine sits at the base of a hill and includes a hiking trail up Mount Inari that passes by many smaller shrines. The path is "straddled" by thousands of torii gates, which are bright orange in color. The grounds are also covered by statues of foxes, which were thought to be Inari's messengers. I found it interesting that no two foxes looked the same. As we walked (or climbed - SO many stairs), I noticed that almost all of the gates had writing on them. Kaz was able to figure out that people, companies, etc. buy or sponsor a gate (or several) in the shrine. 

We attempted to time our hike so that we would be able to see the sunset over Kyoto from a lookout spot about 15 minutes from the top of the mountain. We made it up a bit quicker than we expected - so we took some time to enjoy some snacks and the amazing view. The hike down was a tad creepy - as it was rather dark and the crows were "cawing" loudly. Apparently some people like to hike the mountain at night to fully experience the slightly eerie atmosphere...yikes! 

~*Tenryu-ji Zen Temple*~

The next morning - after grabbing coffee at a coffee shop with AMAZING views - we spent time exploring Tenryu-ji Zen Temple. The temple is located in Arashiyama - which is at the foot of the mountains on the western edge of Kyoto. 

Tenryu-ji was established in 1339 (construction was completed in 1345) and is the head temple of the Tenryu branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. The temple was destroyed or damaged by fires eight times throughout history. It is ranked number one of Kyoto's so-called Five Mountains (the city's five major Zen temples) and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. 

There is a rather interesting story associated with the temple's creation. Apparently the shogun Ashikaga Takauji wanted the temple established in memory of the Emperor Go-Daigo. Early on, Ashikaga and the Emperor had been friends - but when Ashikaga opposed the Emperor's attempt to bring the Imperial House back to power - thus restoring a civilian government - the emperor decreed that Ashikaga be hunted down and executed. This didn't happen and the Ashikaga shogunate actually came to power when the Emperor's attempts failed. It's interesting to wonder what the Emperor might think about a friend turned enemy dedicating a temple to him. 

In addition to the temple, the grounds have absolutely gorgeous gardens. And, if you continuing walking through the gardens - you will stumble across the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. The pictures don't do the site justice - but there is a path that you can walk that leads you through a huge bamboo grove. The bamboo is really tall and surrounds you on all sides. It's truly an amazing site! I've never seen anything like it! 

Photo credit - insidekyoto.com

Continuing our walk through the bamboo grove, we came to Okochi-Sanso Villa - which is formerly the estate of the famed film actor Okochi Denjiro. You have to pay an entrance fee - but then you are free to wander around the estate. The gardens and views are stunning - and when you're finished touring - you get to enjoy some matcha (green tea) and yummy sweets! 

Just a glimpse of the beauty...

Enjoy tea and snacks! 

Can you see the sakura?

We spent the rest of our time in Kyoto, perusing the shops in Nishiki Market and the restaurants in the Gion area. We enjoyed some gyoza (dumplings), ramen (yummy bowl of noodle goodness), and melon-pan filled with matcha ice cream!

Kyoto is such a wonderful place to explore - and we only saw a small sliver of what the city has to offer. I can't wait for our next visit to explore even more! 

Sunny moments: Exploring a beautiful city; spending time with Sophia (it's was great to catch up after 6 years!); sunny skies and blooming sakura; being surprised by how "foreigner-friendly" the city was (SO much English).

Cloudy moments: None that I can think of!