Time again for the Cherry Blossom season. The flowers only last a week or two so getting out to enjoy them has to be timed right. It is the Japanese custom to picnic under the trees, they call this Hanami.
A few people have spoken highly of a Temple not far from Yokosuka which has a beautiful lake and bridge, grassy park for a picnic and hiking trails up the hill behind it. I had to go check this out myself.
A short train ride towards Yokohama and about a 15 minute walk brought me easily to Shomyo-ji Temple. Please enjoy the photos of the Sakura blossoms and fairly difficult hike, it was an overcast day but I wanted to enjoy the cherry blossoms before they disappeared. This is our last Sakura season in Japan and it has me a bit melancholy.
The hike up the hill to get that city view was more difficult than I anticipated and two days later my thighs are still sore.
I was going to write about the fertility festival we went to yesterday but we were so disappointed I didn’t really take any photos. It was hard to see anything and we were being battered by umbrellas the entire time. Glad we went because it is a big deal here but not much to say about it. Penis and vagina popsicles and such but meh.
That’s about it for now, the plan is to return to that temple with a friend of mine when the sun is shining so if it is much different I may post more about it in a week or two. Let’s see, other than that we have May 1st approaching which is a big holiday for me. I’ll work up something about that soon.
To those who celebrate(d) Easter, may yours be happy and wonderful.
Life Notes 
Amazing photos! Wish I were there to enjoy a picnic with you!!!
That would be wonderful. Alas, we will just have to settle on a volcano in Hawaii. 😉
I love the pictures – I have cherry blossoms tattooed on me but there is nothing like the real thing. Thanks for sharing more of those pics than the penis popsicles ones – meh indeed
Cherry blossoms are beautiful and very popular as a tattoo. I considered getting them but I am going with the Ume, the plum blossoms instead. They are a richer red color.
That looks so beautiful-like a pink Christmas 🙂 xx
It is! When the petals fall it looks like snow.
The popsicles nearly beat the blossoms in being unforgettable. LOL. Would people actually eat that in the open?
Very much in the open. Men, women and children walked around the festival/street eating them. 😀
Good grief. LOL!