The last stop on our trip was in Tsuyama in Okayama Prefecture. We arrived just in time for the Tsuyama Sakura Festival. Tsuyama Castle's Kakuzan Park has around 1000 cherry trees, and they were all in full bloom. It is one of Japan's top 100 famous sakura spots, and I can certainly see why! We enjoyed the cherry blossoms so much we went twice – once in the evening and once the next morning. There's no such thing as too many cherry blossoms!
Tsuyama Sakura Festival: en.japantravel.com/okayama/tsuyama-sakura-festival/65382
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Today we are having our coolest weather so far this fall. Today's high is 15°C, the sky is a cranky grey, and there are a few raindrops here and there. I'm so thankful we managed to get out and about last week when the weather was gorgeous! We saw lots of colourful fall foliage but, to my surprise, we also came across cherry trees that were blooming! This variety is known as Jugatsu Zakura (October Cherry Blossoms) and, as the name says, they usually bloom in October. However, I have seen them bloom as early as September and these were blooming in late November. Regardless of the month, they are always a delight to come across.
(This was a cherry tree on the grounds of a small temple on the outskirts of Kyoto. This was what I saw when I crouched underneath it and looked up.) Every day for the past week, I've headed out on our walk with plans to take photos along the way, However, it hasn't worked out that way since the weather has not cooperated at all. We've had a lot of cold, gloomy days often combined with a wicked wind as well. All this to say, here is a photo from a week ago - the last nice sunny day we've had! It's a cherry tree in the small park behind our house. (The pattern you see on the center-right? A huge high-rise several blocks away.)
Yes, these are complicated times indeed. I pray that you and your loved ones are safe wherever you are.
We are doing fine and sheltering in place. My husband and I are both fortunate to be able to work from home but the past few weeks have been a frantic scramble to get everything up and running. It's finally all coming together but there is still more work to be done. We are taking daily walks and exploring our neighborhood. We've managed to get lost a few times and so now we make sure to take a map with us. (No straight lines here!) Although we haven't been able to visit any of our favourite cherry blossom viewing sites, thankfully there are many beautiful cherry trees in our neighborhood. (The photo below was taken in a local park.) Many thanks to those who have continued to visit this site despite the lack of activity. I intend to update more often as my new working conditions become more routine. Stay safe! |
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I'm a photographer based in Osaka, Japan. I love to take photographs. I like to share.
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