Cherry Blossom season has been long gone but I just got the chance to upload all my pictures of the Sakura on my computer today. Yes! that is how busy it has been. Yesterday, I had a mild inner meltdown when I realised how much catching up I had to do this weekend. I am forcing myself to relax, unwind and reflect on the last 4 months. This is the only weekend I have had free since my first two lonely weekends in Nagai. It is amazing all the things you can get up to in a foreign place. It is also amazing how you can be so busy and around many new friends, yet still on the inside feel a bit isolated and lonely. That I assume is all apart of the foreign experience, or at least mine anyways. Keeping on track here, back to Conversations of Sakura. 
THEY ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TREES I HAVE EVER SEEN! and I'm not usually one to fancy tress, unless they are a very saturated green colour! Throughout my Japan travels in spring I saw a plethora of Sakura trees. From the first blooms in Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara to mankai (fully bloomed) in Nagoya, Fukishima, Tokyo again, and then here in my home, Nagai, Yamagata! I enjoyed all of them so check out all the pics!
My first sighting of a cherry tree was in a park in Tokyo. Unfortunately this first trip in Tokyo left me a tad confused and I cannot remember the area that we viewed this early cheery tree!
Here is a picture of the beautiful cherry tree in front of Todaiji Temple in Nara, Japan. Inside the temple is the largest Buddha I have ever seen. A highlight so far in Japan because I had learned about this temple in my Japanese art history class. I like to experience things I have learned about in school, especially anything art related!
Here I am with Misako at the Zoo in Nagoya. This tree was absolutely beautiful, and we don't look so ba
d either. The day I spent with Misako, was wonderful. She was relaxed and showed me a lot of cool Japanese things. For example she had free tickets of this Ikebana show given by her old Tea Ceremony instructor. This was my favourite flower arrangement at the exhibit. Harsh, yet beautiful.
At home in Yamagata, the Sakura came so suddenly and left in the same manner. In that short time I was able to experience the Sakura in three distinct ways. The first being, a nice view out the window of the dance studio where I learned Hawaiian hula with a group of older Japanese ladies. I had mistakenly thought the hula class would be hula hooping not hawaiian hula dance! It was a strange two hours and the view of the pretty trees out the window made it serene and enjoyable. Then saturday morning I went for jog along the river. A row of back to back cheery trees lined the trail. Probably where I enjoyed the beauty of the trees the most because it was the perfect time of day, beautiful weather, nice breeze and SAKURA. My last experience and the epitome of Cherry season in Japan was the Hanami party in Akaya a neighbouring city. All the gaijin I know i
n the area met on top of the mountain and enjoyed drinking, snacks and English conversation under the cherry trees. I met a few new friends that day who live in the prefecture and was able to catch up with others I met before. My favourite shots of the Sakura were when the sun went down and the lights shone through the trees, making the colour of the pink pedals glow. It was a nice evening, which ended with a slice of pizza and a train ride home to my apartment.
n the area met on top of the mountain and enjoyed drinking, snacks and English conversation under the cherry trees. I met a few new friends that day who live in the prefecture and was able to catch up with others I met before. My favourite shots of the Sakura were when the sun went down and the lights shone through the trees, making the colour of the pink pedals glow. It was a nice evening, which ended with a slice of pizza and a train ride home to my apartment. 
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