Sakura Time

It's cherry blossom time in Tokyo. This year about a week later than usual. It is  fair to say that the Japanese go a little crazy at this time. 

Hordes descend on parks to picnic, with family, colleagues and friends. It can get very crowded indeed.

It wouldn't be a proper local festival without the obligatory dancing grannies.

There is always a group of them at every festival.






I've almost managed to erase the memory of the stetson and cowboy booted line dancing grannies that amazed the crowd in rural Gunma last year, but it has  been hard to.

Luckily I found a beautiful avenue of trees on an irrgiation canal not far from the house so we were able to have our own cherry blossom viewing picnic without another soul around.

In Tokyo city itself you can see many trees outside of the parks.

Left are the trees by the outer moat of the palace at Iidabashi

The area along the river at Nakameguro is a very popular spot in Tokyo. Great corwds assemble to take selfies, stroll along and drink pink champagne etc.

Finally two of my favourite trees. Firstly the tree opposite our house by the 500 year old temple. it's in full flower at the moment.

 

And finally the Takizakura, waterfall cherry, in Fukushima, this tree is over a thousand years old and during all that time the loicals have been caring for it.