The Sakuras have landed

Yup. Alert the tourists! The sakura trees are emerging to life!

The cherry blossoms are not to be trifled with, especially in Japan. They are like a national treasure - or are they already? Make a wrong prediction about the blooming time and you will wind up apologizing to thousands. It is a huge business here, this whole sakura-spring time. Festivals are planned around the sakura season, businesses flourish and tourists arrive by the thousands, both local and foreign, to view these delicate flowers. The fact that their life span is so short and that spring showers are common, many people would want to maximize their view time in good weather. And good weather is rather rare during this season. Inevitably there will be rain, and because of it, thousands of sakura petals will fall to the ground. However, I think it is a rather pretty subsitute for snow in Kyoto, well, until the decaying process takes over.

(Note: Yeah, the picture has nothing to do with the cherry blossoms. Saw this vine-flower plant growing on this green coloured wall and I thought it would make a pretty picture)

So till next week when the trees will be in full bloom everywhere, please enjoy the mangrove swamp pictures first. Meanwhile, I am going to plan where I would want to go this season for a new view. Beside my favourite spots, Heian Jingu's garden would be one - I have avoided this place for the past three years since I would have to pay for entrance fee (my logic was that it was a waste of money since I could appreciate the beauty for free practically everywhere else) but I have decided that I should go this time around. Another would be Arashiyama once again. I went there two years back and I want to go again, if I could get my lazy butt there. Maybe Ohara or Kyoto's countryside.

Grand plans. I might wind up just doing the same old spots again this time around!