Spring has sprung!
Visiting Japan was a dream I never want to wake up from. During the two week trip I traveled between 8 cities to witness the amazing event known as Sakura. I ate a lot of sushi and Japanese candy along the way. Each city was blossoming at different stages (baby buds, awesome blossoms) but with no shortage of hundreds (of thousands) of people everywhere. Because of the late spring we all may have felt, TRACKING SAKURA made headline on the front page of the newspaper everyday as the blossom forecast was on everyone's mind. It really is a big deal!
I now know why the masses flock to Japan during these magical months. Sitting under a blossoming cherry tree and simply celebrating its flowering beauty- known as hanami in Japanese- is pretty hard to top. Basically it's a (boozy) picnic party in the park that everyone attends. My mini hanami (I had a lot to do! Not a lot of time!) included an Asahi beer and a Japanese hot dog in Ueno Park, a popular spot for blossoms. Really fun!!
Walking through the endless cherry blossoms in Tokyo, having a tea ceremony with a real life geisha in Kyoto, and eating (and eating and eating) Kobe beef in Kobe will keep Japan in my heart forever. And also permanently change my ability to enjoy beef anywhere else. Le sigh but onward, spring!
Where will you view cherry blossoms this season? #itsplantporn
HIGHLIGHTS OF JAPAN
EAT:
Sushi Taku, Tokyo
Narisawa, Tokyo
Piss Alley, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Nakamura, Kyoto
DRINK:
The Iron Fairies, Ginza District, Tokyo
Finlandia Bar, Gion District, Kyoto
Bar K, Osaka
DO:
Robot Restaurant, Tokyo
Owl Cafe, Harajuku, Tokyo
Bamboo Forest, Arashiyama, Kyoto
Cup of Noodles Museum, Yokohama, Osaka
Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima Island
Shukkei-en Park, Hiroshima
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Images by Imane Fiocchi taken in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima, and Miyajima Island, Japan.
