iinogashira Park Hanami Update

My mom says she wants to come to Japan during the cherry blossom time. Yes, the fact that Japanese have planted cherry blossom trees in so many places, all in anticipation of two weeks of each year does lead to a really great two weeks, where no matter where you go you are surrounded by beautiful cherry blossoms.... and hundreds of thousands of people.

I often spend my lunch wandering through iinogashira Park in Kichijyouji to relax, but these next two weeks will be the least relaxing, and in some respects the most interesting. I will try to take photos each day documenting the stages of the hanami. Today was probably the perfect situation. Enough people to make it jovial, yet not so many that it takes an hour to cross from one side of the park to the other. (That will happen Saturday)

Last year Tomoe and I were supposed to meet some people in the park at a certain time, and knowing it would be crowded we left early. We never expected however that it would take fourty minutes to make our way from the station to the park entrance (usually a 5 minute walk) Once we got into the park, we gave up. Not that we would not be able to find them, because we knew exactly where they were waiting, but by the time we got there, we would already have to leave... I forgot what it was, but we would actually already be late for wherever we had to be next.

These last few photos are of a great baloon-animal / juggling things street act in the park almost every day. I have seen itfour times and laugh each time.. the guy's funny and I encourage you to check it out if you decide to brave the park this year. (he has been there before hanami started, so will probably be there after too.)