Monday, 30th March, 2014.
Hanami (literally "flower viewing") is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the short-lived beauty of flowers, almost always meaning cherry blossoms ("sakura") or (less often) plum blossoms ("ume").
The blossom forecast literally cherry blossom front) is announced each year by the weather bureau and is watched carefully by those planning hanami as the blossoms last only a week or two. In modern-day Japan, hanami mostly consists of having an outdoor party beneath the sakura during the daytime or at night.
We were two days early for the official opening of the cherry blossom season in Osaka, but decided that was close enough for our own hanami .
We obtained directions for a suitable viewing spot from our hostel, and set off for the station.
Street beside our hostel.
The Japanese are very economical with space. If they don’t have a back yard or patio, they hang their washing in the street.
If their car doesn’t fit into the garage, a bit of it can poke into the street.
Japan is very other-worldly. We went for a coffee in “Heaven’s cafe.”
The restroom of “Heaven’s Cafe” had a heated toilet seat, multiple bidet settings and piped birdsong.
At the station, we were working out how to get to the cherry blossom viewing area when a young girl called Maya offered to help us. She suggested we should go to see the blossoms at Osaka Castle, as she was going in that direction, so off we all went.
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