- T R A V E L O G -: Hanami experience

Before flying out, I was already not expecting to see cherry blossom because according to forecast, it has been reported that these flowers are expected to bloom only at the end of March. I therefore did not expect this, to see the cherry blossom! Thank God for to the rapid weather changes, I have been blessed with this priceless experience. It bloom 2 weeks earlier of schedule! I rejoice when I read and confirm about this news through the local as well as I read about it from a few Japan tourism website, it surprisingly fit to my spontaneous plan perfectly. I arrive Japan with only 2 nights advance hostel booking, leaving the rest of the 9 days free with no bookings and expectations at all.

Since this hanami experience is a bonus and somehow the highlight to my recent trip to Japan, I shall now dedicated it as my first entry to this series.

I arrive Tokyo on 15 March, there were already some early bloomed pink cherry tree, these pink blossom are very popular.

These pink cherry blossom reminds me of those plastic flowers that I decorate on dry tree branches during Chinese New Year when I was a child.

view that morning at a shrine

Beside cherry blossom, the plum and peach trees also bloom some beautiful flowers, here some I witness during my brief visit to Osaka. These park are from nearby Osaka castle.

Plum trees garden from a far

white plum tree flowers

Peach garden Osaka

majority of the visitors that afternoon were elderly folks, everyone were strolling down these garden quietly, if not for the super high living standard, I think Japan can be a nice country to retire in.

white peach flowers

red peach flower

When I return to Tokyo on 23 March, cherry trees in this city has already fully bloomed, I was shocked to see the huge crowd that turn up to hanami. The Ueno train station were packed with people lining up to exit the station to go to the park!

Check out the crowd that's swamp in/out Ueno park in these 2 pictures:

Tokyo being the capital city and it's current population of more than 13 million, it is no wonder Tokyo is struggling big time with space constrains. Shopping options here are a great deal, be it fashion, household, food/restaurant, electronic and so on. But what's amazing with this country is how they maintain such safe, clean and calm city even with such a great population.

Let's check out how Japanese hanami:

the tremendous crowd that turn up to hanami below those pretty white clouds of cherry blossom

As a general rules of thumb when you walk in a crowd in Japan, always keep to the left

while strolling down these stunning trees like white clouds, there were also some interesting sights. Everyone seems to have their own way of hanami, for some it is about drinking and food fun, for others is hanami with their pets, there are also some that comes in super hero character! As for me, I'm a typical jakun tourist from Malaysia that watches these flowers for the first time!

saw this uncle who one hand holding his little puppy and the other hand cycling his bike around Ueno park watches cherry blossom, he was at that time hunting for the best spot to photograph a good portrait shot for his pet.

This cat has the luxury to hanami on it's pram, the owner would stop and show him/her every single flower spots, this is my first time seeing this!

Another pet hanami in it's owner's arm

On 24 March, at Yoyogi Park, somehow a less popular spot for hanami, it's however a park that I prefer.

a huge dog being walk to the park

it's owner was nice enough to let me photograph them, their owner was an elderly couple whom were walking their pair of pet. They don't speak English, all I could say is the dogs are 'kawaii' and we send each other off by saying to each other 'arigato' with a bow ;-)