Tokyo (Cherry Blossoms)

I thought I'd get in a few words about cherry blossoms now, although there will be plenty more in the Saturday and Monday posts. The trees can be found all over the city and bloom for only a week before the petals fall and the leaves comes out; while in bloom, the trees are covered in blossoms like snow on trees after a storm. Here's a couple pictures taken a few blocks from the hotel:


When the trees bloom, many Japanese will go to parks for hanami -- a cherry blossom viewing party. Not surprisingly, it's also a popular time to get married. My friend, Meg, who lives in Tokyo tells me that we were very lucky; it seemed like the flowers would bloom earlier with the warm winter, but there was a cold snap before we arrived. Here are some close-ups of blossoms: