桜をみて！

Well as you may have already known, Cherry Blossom (桜-sakura) season is in bloom (no pun intended). Allow me to explain a little bit of the Japanese sakura tradition that many Japanese take part in.

For starters, during the few days the sakura are in bloom, everyone travels out to temples, shrines, castles, and other meaningful places. When night comes, the sakura are illuminated. While waiting for night to fall, people take pictures and set out tarps to sit on. Oh, I almost forgot the most important part, drinking! Sakura viewing is essentially an excuse to drink, but a gorgeous excuse.

I haven't done the drinking aspect of the Sakura viewing, but that will definitely take place in the not too distant future.

If you haven't seen the cherry blossoms yet, do it! No excuses!