Tsurumai Park Cherry Blossoms

A student recommended that I visit Tsurumai Park last weekend to see the cherry trees. 

Tsurumai Park is a popular place to go flower viewing, so it can get pretty crowded. Since my days off are usually Sunday and Monday, I thought it migh be better to go on a weekday.

It was still very crowded.

Most of the spaces under the cherry trees were already taken by the time I got there, so I walked around the park. I enjoyed a bottle of ramune soda and had a look at the stalls, but they didn’t really have anything I wanted. After about thirty minutes, I jumped back on the train to Nagoya.

I expect the trees to be flowering for another week or so, so now’s your chance for flower viewing if you’re chubu.

Advertisements

A Shock of Color

Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan

Stress

Although the week passed rather quickly, it was rife with stress. Most of it was internal, since I’m getting used to some staff changes at my school. In one way it’s been a blessing, since the new guy took about half of my kids classes, but rough in other ways. I think I just need to get used to the new status quo.

For Want of Gardens

Since moving, I’ve been wanting to start my own garden. However, I don’t yet know much about my work status past September, so I hesitate to accumulate yet more stuff. I still have my cactus Saboten (bought when I still worked in Tajimi), which I brought with me to Anjo. It was a pain to bring, even though I hired a moving truck, so imagine if I do get more plants. Also, I never really had a green-thumb, so to speak. Saboten is looking quite worse for wear, despite my best efforts. I will have to think more about this.

One Year Anniversary

I arrived in Japan exactly one year ago on June 4th, 2016. I have not been out of the country since then. I have zero regrets.

Takashima Island

In Gamagori there is an island, just off shore, housing a collection of old Shinto Shrines. It’s a small island, not even a mile across.

Besides the shrines, there are beaches around the outer edge of the island which are known for their shellfish.

After paying respects at the various shrines, it’s a quick walk back from the exit, though not necessarily and easy one.

There is an uneven path set between the hill the shrines are perched upon and the surrounding beaches. Some places are quite steep, especially for those wearing inappropriate shoes. The walk is only about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how many pictures you stop to take or shells you decided to collect.

My friends and I took about 40 minutes for obvious reasons.

Happy Birthday, Mom

We might be miles apart, but we’re always under the same sky, connected by the flow of the great oceans, and will never stop thinking about each other. I wish you all the happiness in the world.