Wednesday, March 26, 2008

cherry blossoms / sakura season


this is my first trip back to japan where i'm actually here for the sakura trees to be in full bloom [full-bloom is called mankai in japanese, and they report it like a coming storm. mankai in tokyo is predicted to occur this coming sunday, march 30th]. the japanese take cherry blossom season as a time to get drunk anywhere there is a cherry tree and perhaps it is the urine and vomit of the season that contributes to the beautiful display of flora each year...this is called o-hanami!

my meetings have all gone well and am catching up with friends and colleagues. i'm riding my one speed muji bicycle everywhere which is fun and a hedge against all the food i'm eating. staying in okubo is very convenient to my office via bike and it's also tokyo's korea town which creates a weird alice-in-wonderland feeling for me as my NYC office is in korea town as well.

again, visual entry left to right from the top:

row 1
sakura in mid-bloom [gobuzaki?, maybe nanabuzaki], koto from devil robots, cute restaurant signage.
row 2
nooka japan display case [built by elle-chan], workers being paid to hold a spot for hanami, kitai from devilrobots and machan from mad barbarians [yummy food!].
row 3
yu of nooka japan, hotel fraser in okubo [where i'm staying this trip], fraser entrance.
row 4
best parking lot sign ever, elle-chan with sake, ultraman truck.

P.S. Nooka Japan Hanami is this Sunday in Inogashira-Park. Please come if you can make it. I'll be back in NYC the next day!