Sakura Fever, version 2009
This year also I was taken by the beauty of flowers in spring and decided to go around and take some pictures.
One point that I may not have mentioned in this blog earlier is that plum blossom - ume - precedes sakura season. So, as last year I went to Osaka Castle with some friends to take pictures of ume (No, I won't publish those pictures now. But I can say it's worth a visit), this year I went to Osaka Expo Park during the same season.
Osaka Expo Park, or Expo Memorial Park, is a park built at the place of the former Expo '70, the first World's Fair held in Japan. Now the park has many areas with the "environment" theme. It is a good option for families, since it has places for children to play and explore, some museums and an amusement park nearby and even a hot spring to warm one's feet. It has also sections with various flowers that look beautiful in full bloom.
Although I've been to Kyoto Gosho to take pictures of sakura the previous year, this year I also entered the Kyoto Imperial Palace - the former residence of the Japanese Emperor. As with all the imperial places (like Shugakuin and Katsura Imperial Villas), previous reservation is required. The palace area itself is not especially know for its sakura trees, but there's a beautiful arrangement at the end; and the palace grounds are also beautiful.
Feeling the urge to go to Himeji again, I returned yet again to see sakura at Himeji Castle. This time, my friends in Himeji had scheduled a hanami party in front of the castle. A rainy wheather changed the plans, though. Me and some friends from Kyoto I invited just went around the castle. I spent the night in Himeji and fortunately the nexy day the weather became sunny and we could carry on wih the hanami.
Kiyomizudera is also a familiar place to people who read this blog and basically everyone who has lived or even spent a couple of days in Kyoto. It is one of the main touristic spots, and I've been there many times. Why go there again? Well, I have pictures of the temple in summer, autumn and winter. I was still missing one characteristic of spring.
Nijo Castle gardens have many varieties of flowers, resulting in a garden with flowers blooming almost all year around. The place is also known for its many varieties of sakura trees on its grounds and a very nice light illumination event.
Yumi, a friend who lived in the same dorm I did in my first year in Kyoto, also returned to Japan for a couple of weeks. We scheduled a visit to two places that, although I also went to those places to take pictures of sakura the previous year, this year I was able to see sakura there in full bloom: Philosopher's Path and Heian Jingu. Both were way more impressive (and crowded) this time.
As there was other friend that, like Yumi, also returned to his country but was back to Japan for a short visit and it had been a while we didn't put everyone together, Miho had the plan to do a hanami by Kamogawa and celebrate together with the old Oubaku dorm group and friends.
Last, but not least, I was also invited by S. to see the flowers on a park she said it was impressive. Well, it is. The name is Tsurumi-Ryokuchi Park, and it was originally built for the International Floral & Greenery Exposition in 1990. Nowadays the park features, among other things, a horse riding course, camping places, play-grounds for various kinds of sports, gardens of many countries, and the Sakuya - Konohana Botanical Pavilion (one of the largest botanical gardens in Japan). I could just walk there for a little while, and it was worth the visit. I may try to return to that park some other time.
Those who want to see more pictures, check my Picasa album.
One point that I may not have mentioned in this blog earlier is that plum blossom - ume - precedes sakura season. So, as last year I went to Osaka Castle with some friends to take pictures of ume (No, I won't publish those pictures now. But I can say it's worth a visit), this year I went to Osaka Expo Park during the same season.
Osaka Expo Park, or Expo Memorial Park, is a park built at the place of the former Expo '70, the first World's Fair held in Japan. Now the park has many areas with the "environment" theme. It is a good option for families, since it has places for children to play and explore, some museums and an amusement park nearby and even a hot spring to warm one's feet. It has also sections with various flowers that look beautiful in full bloom.
Although I've been to Kyoto Gosho to take pictures of sakura the previous year, this year I also entered the Kyoto Imperial Palace - the former residence of the Japanese Emperor. As with all the imperial places (like Shugakuin and Katsura Imperial Villas), previous reservation is required. The palace area itself is not especially know for its sakura trees, but there's a beautiful arrangement at the end; and the palace grounds are also beautiful.
Feeling the urge to go to Himeji again, I returned yet again to see sakura at Himeji Castle. This time, my friends in Himeji had scheduled a hanami party in front of the castle. A rainy wheather changed the plans, though. Me and some friends from Kyoto I invited just went around the castle. I spent the night in Himeji and fortunately the nexy day the weather became sunny and we could carry on wih the hanami.
Kiyomizudera is also a familiar place to people who read this blog and basically everyone who has lived or even spent a couple of days in Kyoto. It is one of the main touristic spots, and I've been there many times. Why go there again? Well, I have pictures of the temple in summer, autumn and winter. I was still missing one characteristic of spring.
Nijo Castle gardens have many varieties of flowers, resulting in a garden with flowers blooming almost all year around. The place is also known for its many varieties of sakura trees on its grounds and a very nice light illumination event.
Yumi, a friend who lived in the same dorm I did in my first year in Kyoto, also returned to Japan for a couple of weeks. We scheduled a visit to two places that, although I also went to those places to take pictures of sakura the previous year, this year I was able to see sakura there in full bloom: Philosopher's Path and Heian Jingu. Both were way more impressive (and crowded) this time.
As there was other friend that, like Yumi, also returned to his country but was back to Japan for a short visit and it had been a while we didn't put everyone together, Miho had the plan to do a hanami by Kamogawa and celebrate together with the old Oubaku dorm group and friends.
Last, but not least, I was also invited by S. to see the flowers on a park she said it was impressive. Well, it is. The name is Tsurumi-Ryokuchi Park, and it was originally built for the International Floral & Greenery Exposition in 1990. Nowadays the park features, among other things, a horse riding course, camping places, play-grounds for various kinds of sports, gardens of many countries, and the Sakuya - Konohana Botanical Pavilion (one of the largest botanical gardens in Japan). I could just walk there for a little while, and it was worth the visit. I may try to return to that park some other time.
Those who want to see more pictures, check my Picasa album.
1 comment:
igao, a ultima da kobe flower road ficou mt boa!!!
Post a Comment