Spring has ...sprung! Part 1

First sign of spring from my window taken about two weeks ago! Temperatures were still quite chilly so I didn't get what all the excitement was about.. " oooh! cherry blossoms!" hmpf. its still freezing, bite me!


It didn't seem to bother the eager-beaver Hanami goers (at Yoyogi Park) though. Hanami means to 'watch flowers', more specifically the cherry blossoms, which I have to come to understand is just an excuse to have an awesome picnic under the trees...and get drunk!


Of course, given the population of Tokyo that brings with it the wonderful lines outside the toilets at the park. If you have to 'go', you have to predict your urge 'to go' an hour prior to when you 'really have to go'.


and some more...

especially doesn't help when you are consuming large amounts of alcohol. ><

Here's one from my first hanami, next to Kandagawa River which is near my university...I was quite taken aback, there were some people who had been there with mats, food and alcohol since 9am so when I got to my hanami'ing friends at 6 in the evening...things were quite upbeat! A very refreshing change from the usual stern faces I have become accustomed to on the train every morning! I like hanami already!