花見 2009

Used to go as a young navy brat in Yokosuka, Japan... brings back good memories

We had a sakura festival here in Vancouver about a week back but it has been cold and the trees didn't bloom. It's such a shame for everyone who went to the festivities.

i know someone who will love to be there to see the cherry blossom but couldn't due to circumstances. :(

I'm hoping to partake in some cherry blossom viewing when I'm studying abroad next year in Japan for the spring.

Sigh, Shizen wa utsukushii na~...

I need to go and see the cherry blossoms.

one of the main reasons I want to go to japan is because of the cherry blossoms

I've never seen the cherry blossoms in Japan but I did see a whole bunch in Washington DC when I visited there back in 8th grade. It was an awesome sight to see with all the monuments and stuff.

Looks absolutely amazing, hope I manage to see it one day, all my trips seem to end up being in November / December time!

the closest we have to sakura here are these very few trees with pink (or purple?) flowers in few places.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gordonator_sg/tags/pinkflower/

the flowers bloomed few months back. now are all gone.

Oh wow, sure are alot of people, but i'd imagine with all the drinks and snacks there would be a load of rubbish in the aftermath. Other than that though, i'd probably find an area with.. less people to enjoy my time. Also that tower? next to the pool at Komazawa Olympic Park looks amazing, is it there to serve a purpose or just look pretty? I first thought it was some sort of diving board complex.

There are a few trees around here next to the park, but they're on the side of the road so you can't really put down a mat and sleep under them.

Very nice pictures.

The beauty of the flowers are really something amazing.... I would love to go one day! I've been on a similar trip before when I was little... and going to see some blooming flowers of a darker color. Doesn't remember much but the photos were very pretty ^^

How's the pollen around cherry trees? I'll be blowing the petals off way before I actually get to look at the flowers if there's much of the pollen in the air ^^;

The scenery is stunning, though. Maybe I should wear a gas mask and watch cherry trees...

Interesting 4-person/family bike there ^^

Wow I wish I could see cherry blossoms. Too bad there are so many people; guess life can't always be a manga. Were those Hi-Chews in the picture with all the snacks? Apple and grape are awesome.

Can't believe that I'll be just missing it

We got a lovely pink sakura tree in my front yard.
Would love to go hanami one day in Japan, haven't seen any around where I live Even if there was, it can't compare with Japan's

love sakura trees. I'm glad my city has a lot (though I wish they lined the streets) and I remember some good times whenever I see them bloom (though most of said good times were also drunken time, lol).

the road i used to cycle to get to school had sakura trees on one side - beautiful it was
Nowadays i rarely pass there - i seriously want to nick one and take it home ^^"

uh oh - let me on a circular cycling track and i'll turn it into a temporary velodrome of sorts

beautiful beautiful place. the park looks like a fantastic place to spend a nice leisurely afternoon.

I always wishing to see it someday in Japan.....

I really like Sakura trees blossoming...
Even in animes I find it a +.

My girlfriend and I go to Little Tokyo in Los Angeles every year for the Annual Cherry Blossom Festival. In fact, it was held last weekend (Apr. 4-5)! ^^;

ps.@Danny: Are you serious about image ID#25585 (http://www.dannychoo.com/adp/eng/1690/Tokyo+Cherry+Blossom.html#image25585) being the next giveaway question??? You're kidding, right?

If not, then I'm gonna say it's Nobuharu Asahara from Kobe (he bagged the bronze medal in the men’s 4x100-meter relay at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing); though judging from the guy's physique, I highly doubt it's Asahara.

wow lovely neighborhood u got
wish could go to japan to see sakura someday

I heard littering is a big problem with hanami spots. Is that still the case?

And those track ladies have sexy legs. The guys look pretty fit, too, but not sexy (maybe if I was a woman). I needs to start running too.

Beautiful pictures! I hope to see the sakura trees in person some day ^^ Also yeah, is that seriously the next giveaway question? o_o

WOW! It's all hanami walk in this article, would love to experince walking under sakura tree ^_^

Reminded me of a scene in Byousoku 5cm~~~~

Tokyo CGM Night taking up a stadium, that must be enormously huge guests!

There's a mini pig stone statue outside of the toilet......

Yay! New Dance Trooper vid coming up~~~~~

We don't have cherry blossoms tree here, but we do have coconut trees all year long.

Would be fun going out flower viewing with family and friends.

I've seen so many of these in anime, but would at least like to experience it once in my life...closet thing would be to hop a plane to Washington DC...

I hope this year I can take some pix with Mirai and the cherryblossoms before they're gone lol!

I must go see next year!!!

Just went golfing this past weekend. I wish I would of had my camera because the course had a lot of Sakura trees in full bloom. My parent's neighbor also had to take out the two Sakura trees at the end of their driveway due to the freezing rain that destroyed them. They were so pretty ; ;

No real hanami here though ^^;

As usual looks amazing. Am off to Japan today so I'm hoping that I'm caught in the thick of it. Anyone know the best place to go for Hanami around this time of year? Or best places? :/

ah nice stuff, hopefully i can see them again year after cause i think i'm just abit too late for this year =

needs moar alcohol?

deffenatly something I plan to see when I go for my year trip

I would LOVE to go to that side of the world if only to see the Sakura season, one thing I NEED to do in my life :(

but of course knowing me....will go for figures too....and proper sushi :P

Look like a nice outing to take in the sights, sounds and people watch. Just like that guy is doing outside the women's washroom.

That runner is Mr. Asics; it says so on his top. He lives in Japan.

Walking down a path lined with sakura trees in Kyoto a couple of years back <-- one of my most cherished memories.

Wow, a first! Scaled figure in the pocket :D Good thing it's only 1/8, eh?

Here in Vancouver, it's a bit rough when there are a lot of people gathering, especially around downtown. Like our summer's firework competition event. Police always check people walking to the beach and on the beach to make sure they don't have any alcohol on them because sometimes even without alcohol, crowds can be quite rowdy.

Nice pics, wish i could go there.. must save money for a Japan trip..

It would be great to experience hanami one day~

Can't wait for the new dancing trooper video ^_^

I can't believe that people can just go to sleep in a park without anything happening! One of the people I met up with when I went over, thought it was weird at how shocked I was after they told me.

Awesome sakura pics by the way Danny d^_^b

Looks like a decent day out. I have to spend my 2 week easter break studying for exams and tests.
Need to do that one time though.

It's that time once again! Makes me wonder when will i get to do some hanami in the future.
On the giveaway question... I'm out for this one hahaha.

That kite looks way too happy to be running into a power line, lol

Also, what the heck is that yellow vehicle where you were talking about bikes? Is that what you rent? Do you see them anywhere else?

Great pics. Aw - reminds me of my month in tokyo during sakura season. Stopped in a hotel right next to a temple, and was woke most mornings with taiko performances. They held events and processions which were great. Boozy hanami's in Yoyogi park too. Awwww - i wanna go back!

got two cherry trees in my back yard but are way too small to really sit under and enjoy

Wow, breathtaking pictures! There are two cherry trees in my garden, they'll start to blossom within a few days, I don't know if watching them will count as hanami though.:)
I'm looking forward to the Tokyo Roller Trooper, will be a spectacular sight for sure!

i long for a day of hanami

took a short break to eat some squid with some friends while trees were blooming in ueno once... but it wasn't the complete experience i'd like ^^;

mmmm sakura booze and good eats... what's not to like? ^_^

would love to go for at least one hanami in japan and get a feel of the festival mood ^^

I have never seen the cherry blosoms but I plan to go to Tokyo next year so I hope I can plan it that way so I can see them.

The sakuras are really beautiful. I swear I'll be there in Tokyo for hanami next year. ^^

Hanami for me! Few of my relatives are going to japan soon, just nice for hanami season. Too bad i can't follow as my school starts then. D=

Looks awesome with so many cherry trees in bloom. Now having Nanako Sakura, as your personal pocket fan service device, is a new elite skill that no one shall surpass! The path to a new level of Otaku-ness!!! :D

Look at all those bicycles! It looks like a record amount in one place to me. I did something long ago no one remembers, I grew cherry trees from cherry pits. Gave one to the guy back over there in that house, he planted it and guess what? Its been about 31 years and the cherry tree is still there, it drops a few of those peddles on our yard occasionally. And yes, this is a Tropical area usually hot and dry ground with high humidity. No one remembers any thing I did (that was good). /sigh

The 'no fishing near power lines' sign thing here we used to actually practice casting in the yard and fields (houses where fields used to be now) when stringing up a new fishing real. So it could be pre tested incase it got tangled up. That might be why its there?

I'm curious Mr. Choo: when you come across signs like the map do you read the Japanese or the English first?

Very beautiful I've never seen a cherry blossom trees before (In Person) and would love to see them.

The cherry blossom are beautiful, I wish we have that kind of view in London lol. Hanami looks awesome.

we have many of them in vancouver! especially richmond!

Ahh you found where the rest of the Sith were hiding then did you!
Controlling the flow of traffic, yes it does seem somewhat similar to the force.

love japanese streets and neighborhoods! Beautiful indeed. Reminds me I think the cherry blossom festival is happening soon in several areas here in the bay area too.

couple things i noted:

1) that guard standing over the construction guy looks like he's asleep
2) there's a white guy watching over the female bathroom area. I guess keeping an eye on his daughter or sister or whoever that is in line, but that's not where he's looking lol

"And the next giveaway question - what is the name of the guy number 5 and where does he live?"

Nagano Makoto from Kagoshima! ^^;;;

I need to go out and find such sights here in Toronto.
Beautiful photos danny!

Lovely pictures. If I ever get to visit Japan, I hope I get to do so around this time.

Supposedly, Washington, DC, has a good number of it's own cherry trees, I really need to try and get up there sometime during a spring.

i was stationed in korea for a year in the service. i wanted to go to japan quite badly for a weekend or two just to visit but i didnt know anyone that lived there and thus....sucked. i'd love to visit but i'm not too sure about living.

Hanami looks very intersting and I dream to go one day ^^

The candy(or chewy candy?) in the middle of the picture featuring MORE candies, is mai favourite! Can find them here but at an unbelievable price -____- Always tell my friends that go oversea to hunt some for me.. Candies for next giveaway? XD

That building(?) in Komazawa Olympic Park really looks cool. What is it for? Just for viewing sensation? Tennis courts?

I'll going for Hanami... in near future...

Awesome pics Danny. Over here we just got another snowstorm!! Can't wait for spring.
I really like the streetview pics, gives a good sense of the neighborhood.

no cherry trees here. lots of other trees though which usually bloom in april - june with vibrant yellow - fiery red - orange colors. i mean its the same type of tree, but each tree has different colour flowers. we call them May flowers here since that's when they bloom a lot.
Or maybe the colour of the flowers changes after some time. but i've seen trees with different coloured flowers next to each other.

in anime such hanami gatherings are usually very romantic settings, unlike the crowds seen here in pics.

6 years in japan and i never did a hanami... (;^_^

swear that i'll go for a hanami trip one fine day.. looks great!

Another great Hanami post Danny.

This year I went to 2 places for Hanami view. My first time going for Hanami. ^^;;

One is at Shinjuku Gyoen:

http://www.lesterho.com/?p=630

And another is at Asakusa Sumida Koen (Park):

http://www.lesterho.com/?p=650

People here knows what they do and won't easily get into fights. There are some places like the first one I went to doesn't allow alcohol to be brought inside the park.

Back when I was in high school, I used to get silver medal often for the dash but not anymore since I haven't run like that in years and all I do now is eat and sit. ^^;;

looks like I'm going to miss out on another year :(

OMG what a beautiful picture the first one. Would like to be in Japan for the hanami days. Beautiful.

Some lovely scenery you captured Danny, along with the hanami ^^;

Blossom is here too, it is also really beautiful, but not that much people are looking

ii naa,never been in one myself but i would really love to ^o^

well looks like a nice way to spend a day. plus i celebrate anything that i can get stupid drunk xP

Must go experience a Hanami myself one day! Only recently learned there's dedicated reports about when the cherry blossoms bloom and that there are night sessions to for the more busy folk. Will have to see both!

There are some sakura trees here in my country (few of them). I dont know how but the cherry blossom too. How do they know we are in april??
Looking all those trees blossim at the same time its very nice.

My first post here.

Aargh! I want to go to Japan.
Those sakura trees are quite a sight. Haven't seen any blossoms(apple trees) yet here in Belgium.

Oh and hi all.

Last my trip to Japan fell right in the hanami season (end of march till begin of april), so I could see many sakura trees in full bloom in various parts of Japan. Got nice pictures of sakura in Tokyo, Kyoto, some at Miyajima and at the Haruhi locations. The park next to the little river (where Kyon and Mikuru have their first "date") is an excellent location for hanami ;p

So lucky you are. I can't wait to see it once for myself. But alas, not many sakura over here and the one in our garden has yet to start blooming ^^

the sakura trees there look wonderful. I would like to go someday once I make it to Japan...
T_T

I have cursed myslef for years, not yet financially able to go to japan and experience such an event.

Man, I'm so envious of the Japanese...

the bicycle is cool! Maybe they should also make the seat infront of the bicycle here too ^^;

arrgh. I will see the sakura someday!

That is lots of people enjoying cherry blossom o_O It would nice to have some drinks and yummy food under a fully blossomed tree and enjoy~

I really want to try doing Hanami when I go to Japan. Things like this always interest me XD

I was never really good at dancing. Probably because I hated it. I'm more into martial arts x_x

Wow...make me wish i was back there...

Ah, yes, Would like to enjoy Hanami once. It's in my list of things to do before I die.

Image25585 - Guy # 5, Kintaro Oe, 25-year-old freeter, pervert, and "travelling student", despite having met the requirements for a degree, left Tokyo University without graduating.

wow what a lovely sight those Sakura trees,must be awesome to live there,probably a lot of noise under those trees though,especially when they get really drunk and do those loud obnoxious laughs XD,still,would love to be apart of that:/

Looks alot like where i lived in Germany in those photos during the spring.

Not cool seeing people drinking alcohol in parks in the UK, makes me nervous.

Really nice pictures.
I wish I was in Japan right now.

I went to Japan in the Spring when it was sakura season but we didn't have time to just sit and watch flowers. Here where I go to school it seems as if the seasons decided to skip spring and go straight to summer.

Actually planning on doing a hanami this Saturday at the Japanese garden park a few cities away. Hope the trees will still blossom. ^^

Were originally going this past Sunday but the weather preview predicted rain so we cancelled and didn't go, turned out to be a beautiful sunny day after all and later heard from someone that a lot of blossoms already blooming... orz

Would love to get out there and see it like that. Very nice pictures. I wish I had a pair of rollerblades that fit me without hurting my feet, I grew out of my old ones. I used to rollerblade all over the place.

Man, Japan is so pretty.
Hopefully my plans to visit change year don't fall through.

There was a Hanami in Vancouver but none of the trees were in bloom yet because it was too cold so I didn't go. Maybe next year.

the Sakura and the likes are blooming here in America as well

Definitely nice to see the tree's in full bloom, bet they look nicer at night with proper lighting from below.

brill pics of the cherry blossoms danny, and also with the olympic park as well. all we have over here is a few places that are big enough for that sort of stuff also on of them is near the most hated team in mu opion of man city boo you suck city!!!

We have cherry trees in our yard. They look so awesome when they bloom every year.

Cant remember if the cherry tree's have bloomed in DC yet but may have to take a day trip next year to see them.

Would love to see some sakura in the future. Maybe next year...or the year after ^^

As much as i like the Idea beuind the whole Hanami the reality isnt as beautiful.
It doesnt sound too fun to be stuck in a small place between a horde of people.

We have some Cherryv Trees along the mainroad in my city aswell.They are blossoming aswell but noone would get the idea to sit and drink under them.I bet sooner or later police would show up^^

Very Beautiful!!
OK, the giveaway for next year should be plane ticket to Hanami!

Great Pictures!
(^ ^)

Sakura season here in Seattle too. Girls in bikinis are already sunbathing in the grass fields at my uni (Uni of Washington). I found your working in Amazon/Microsoft article very interesting. I hope you miss Seattle :)

I wish I was able to go to a hanami... I've only seen a couple of cherry blossom trees in the UK though... compared to the number of oaks and stuff...

So many people! I can't ever imagine folks gathering like that for flower viewing in the UK... would be regarded as something someone older would do I bet.... and Danny's right, if people in the UK were drinking in public... they're probly be getting into fights...

Never been to a Hanami but would love to go ^^ Love how its looks so nice with all the Sakura trees blooming along the roads. It'd make me actually like to walks in the afternoon.

I've never been to Hanami, but I was driving around town today and went down a street lined with what seem like sakura trees. Will have to go down tomorrow and take a closer look ^^

hanami is cool !!!
Japan have such a nice tradition

really beautiful indeed , although i'm the kind of person that doesn't like to go out when the sun is up(very hot), but still i would really love to go to a hanami

I would kill to go see a Cherry Blossom festival.

Hanami is awesome. When i move to Japan thats gonna be one of the first things on my list.

so much ppl

These photos reminded both "5 Centimeters Per Second" and "Toki o kakeru shôjo"! ^^

Great pictures of OHanabi! I have been cherry blossom viewing in Kobe every year for the last 12 years. We usually go down to Shukugawa for our picnic. Sadly, with the global economy tanking, this is the first year I will not be visiting Japan. I'm already so homesick!!

CheapyD said that their were a lot of people drinking and smoking, yet I don't see anyone smoking in the photos. Were the pictures taken in a smoke-free area?

I don't like crowded places. But Hanami is something that I've been longing for. ^.^ The flowers are really beautiful. I've seen so many photos. I guess yours I like most. ^.^

Wonder those electric wires would affect those sakura branches or not.. Or the other way round. ^.^;

God I want to go back to japan for Hanami. Miss it very much.

I'm waiting on my first blooms from my two Sakura trees. I planted one back last fall, and I planted the second this spring. STill not quite bloom time here in northern ohio. So I'm waiting. They are such tiny little trees now. but give em ten years they'll be something me thinks.

aewsome pics Danny! i would love to go in the future, but gotta save up and finish high school first.

The Cherry Blossoms seems pretty wish I could go out and see them hopefully I could go in the future

Always lovely to see sakura photos. Thanks for the report.

Though my favourite was the sign about the dangers of kite flying and fishing near power cables.

Looks amazing, every time I see hanami pictures or videos like this it makes me pretty jealous...The area I live in is so bland and boring. I can't wait to experience hanami in Japan in person, would be so calming to sit there outside under the cherry blossoms, though maybe a little crowded. I wonder are there nice spots like that which have less people?

Not that many here in SF, but have a few on campus but they aren't fully blooming. I might go to the Cherry Blossom Festival at Japantown this weekend, see a bit of Japan here in my city.

There are some cherry blossom trees that are blooming around my school. ^^; Really nice =w='' The ones around my old apartment still haven't bloomed though =o=''

This is a pretty awesome aerial view of hanami locations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjgfGuHBaxo&fmt=18

<sigh> One of these years I'll get to go out and see them live in person. There aren't any cherry blossom trees in New Orleans that I know of; seeing those would be the next best thing to Japan and Washington D.C.

Reminds me of Kisetsu Wo Dakishimete and the saying under the cherry tree lies dead bodies.

I could never carry a scale figure out in my pockets - or my bag, for that matter. Size aside, I'm too horrified of breaking something. ^^;

Aww, the closest I've been to seeing cherry blossoms was in Japantown. They're so beautiful! I'm going to ask my friend in Osaka and see if she's gone out and seen them in her area :)

Also, that omrice looks delicious *_* Haven't had much to eat today except for a cup of ramen ;_;

The guy in track 5 is from KUGAYAMA, SUGINAMI WARD
I can only assume his name is "Taro"

Do I win? :D
Oh you were just kidding about the next giveaway question...
... but good guess, right?!

As the global warming ,the cherry blossoms in Japan would not bloom in the future .I heard this on TV.

Sure wish we had those types trees in this part of TX. Everything sure looks like a fun time.
Danny oreos are my favorite cookie. Gotta have the big ones so I can dunk them in my milk!lol
YUM YUM.

Danny, have you ever been to Kinuta-Kouen in Setagaya?
I love this park.

Very beautiful indeed. All I have here are cherry blossom tree look a likes all over my school (they bloomed for about a week) that smell like rotten fish and sewage. Ornamental pear trees I think they're called.

I can't wait until the sakura are in full bloom here in Toronto.

I miss hanami in Japan, though I don't miss getting up crazy-early to be able to get a parking spot and a place to sit down (^_^)

We don't get Hanami, but this weekend the college near by is having an Asian festival and the weekend after that the further away college is having a Japan Day. I'm definitely going to the second one. Should be fun. :D

Very pretty! Would love to see wallpapers of these or similar stuff? :D

So pretty~ I could stare at those trees all day

Ahhh... looking at those nice sakura.... I can forget about anime for a while and just enjoy the scenery.

http://www.dannychoo.com/adp/eng/1690/Tokyo+Cherry+Blossom.html#image25592

Had that particular anime's OP running through my head when i see this...

Anpan anyone? ^^;

Simply beautiful, would love to be in Japan to see the cherry blossoms in the near future.

Oooh, I would love to see a hanami! ^^

I got my name from these flowers but never seen so many together! Beautiful. Wish there was some hanabi here, too. Well, I can try some parks with friends and to make our own hanabi:) I love spring time! Yeay!:)

the cherry blossoms is National flower of Japan.

damn, missed it by a month. i was quite surprised to learn that it doesn't have a fragrance.

i would love to see the cherry blossoms in person........sigh

Sadly, the local equivalent could not occur due to unseasonably cold weather. A pity.

Envy level is over 9000... T_T

"Never been but would like to"

wow cherry blossoms look beautiful

Well, as in The Netherlands, the biggest flower garden, Keukenhof, is already opened to public access. There is a small part of the it that represents the Japanese garden.

if you're ever in Washington DC, they have the same thing there. got to see it once a couple years back, very cool.

Hanami is nice, especially when it's warm.

I hope i can enjoy the sakura viewing next year :)

I might want to visit that park when I go to Japan in August...
First...need to figure out how to get there...
The sakura is just amazing!!!!!!
I should plan a trip to Japan that revolves around hanami...looks like a really nice time to go!!!

I hope you were joking about that question lol.
I really wanna go japan.

kyaa~~ Those sakura trees are soo beautiful!! theres none here in Canada T__T

Wait, those are high school track athletes? They look a bit older than that to me. Their form looks good though.

駒沢オリンピック公園とはまたご近所さんですな～
案外とお顔を拝見したことあったりして?ｗ
桜なら呑み川緑道や、桜新町の桜並木もきれいですよ～=D
桜のトンネルみたいXD

昼の桜も綺麗ですが夜も綺麗ですよ( ・ω・)

ttp://k-kabegami.com/garyuyozakura/index.html
ttp://k-kabegami.com/garyuyozakura/open/13.html

I have viewed sakura quite a bit but only during my 2 years in Japan. Here's some of my shoots if anyones interested.
http://punynari.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/tokyo-parks-with-sakura/
Some pink sakura pics in above link.
http://punynari.wordpress.com/2009/04/04/tokyo-palace-and-edo-castle-ruins-in-sakura/
http://punynari.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/kamakura-sakura-viewing/

Hope I can see them at least one more time...Haven't been to Kyoto yet during this season but I would like to someday...

I left Tokyo on March 20th. Unfortunately, the Sakura were just starting to bloom so I was not able to experience the full effect of the tree lined avenues in Ueno park. We woke up on our last day, excited to read in the Japan Times that Hanami had officially opened in Tokyo. I assumed the trees would be full of color. We decided to race off to Ueno park to catch a glimpse before leaving for the airport.

Despite a downpour that day the station at Ueno was packed with people, leading me to think they had come to see the Sakura too (it was a holiday that day so many were probably going to the Zoo). There were very few blossoms but the trees had clearly started to open. I read later that Hanami officially begins in Tokyo when something like five blossoms are open on a particular tree. Dang. I believe the official start was later revised and did not actually begin until March 21st.

Still, we did see some lone trees in bloom, which was nice, but I know I will be back again someday. I'll post some photos when I get the chance.

hanami is so much fun. did it 3 times last week.. quite enjoyable.

Just..... Beautiful!

Cherry Blossoms looks amazing.
The food does too.. :Q

I was in Tokyo just over a week ago, the sakura in Mitaka was beautiful :)

When you first think of Japan, sakura is usually one of the few things that comes to mind... Next would be hentai and eroge and other weird stuff that's Japan related^^;...

D@mn, if only Singapore had lovely sakura tress... Pity us folk who live near the equator... No sakura, no seasonal change, no nothing T_T...

Is that a mile high row of diving boards in that outdoor pool picture? No way would someone dive off something that high.
I need to go to Japan just to participate in Hanami. Beautiful pictures.

I went to Aomori last year ^-^

The blossoms are gorgeous here in Seattle but the first trees are starting to lose their petals already. I wish the blooming lasted longer. :(

And I have the same question:
are those all diving boards?

Mmmm. So the blossoms occur late march-april eh. Looks like my Japan trip next year will be almost exactly a year from now then.

HANAMI FTW!!!

I love Cherry Blossoms....sigh...

Gosh, how beautiful this is. Hopefully I can attend a hanami myself someday.

The cherry blossom tree is one of the most beautiful trees i've ever seen. Does it smell like cherries, and if not, how does it smell? The scent must be nice...

Would have like to have went down to dc and see them this year. Course everyday I have had off in the last three weeks seems to be rainy and cold. Seeing as I am only an hour and a half from dc it would have been nice. We have one in our front yard though which has started to get to a decent size given the fact it's still young and all. Still that kind of stuff looks really nice this time of year.

Never was on hanami but would very like to, I love cherry blossom, in the gardern I have one cherry tree and even if it's only one then when it blossom it is looking very beautiful. I plan to visit Japan in the time of it so I hope that at last will have opportunity to see it.

Always wanted to see the Sakura Festival...never made it out that far though...

Gorgeous. If my family and I can get to Japan, we are definitely going to plan our trip during cherry blossom season! Spring has sprung here on the east coast in the United States, and we have a lot of Dogwoods in our area that blossom like this--but nothing on the scale of the sakura...

It looks truly beautiful, the Sakura season. I hope one day I'll have the chance to walk under a line of Sakura trees and feel the breeze.
By the way, Danny, A TOKYO ROLLER TROOPER VIDEO would be the A-BOMB! ^^ I can see it - dancing and skating around with your cool moves! And this time all the people should watch! An innovative idea if you ask me.

"Never been but would like to"
For me a must have!
With my first earnings I will make a 2 Week excursion throuh Japan. Try to catch the cherry blossom season :D

I would like to be in a Hanami someday, it looks great and beautiful.
Btw, I like your neighborhood Danny, lucky you!!

For some silly reason I always end up taking my vacations to Japan in November .. not only due to my job but also for that season its cheap airfares and the weather is not too hot and not too cold .. but man I really do wanna hang around in Tokyo during Hanami season :-)

me in old thread.

would like to say that i've always wanted to join a hanami session ;_; but nvr had the chance because...

I live in a tropical island named after a lion which no one ever saw other then one person..who happened to name this country.

the only things i see falling off trees are leaves, which i am tasked to sweep off the parade square in camp, bird droppings, rotting fruits, branches(yes i have to sweep them off the parade square...daily!) In which none i can appreciate the beauty of... >_> someone abduct me to japan.

I'll try to snap some photos the next time I go.