Cherry Blossoms Part II

Although after Kanamara Matsuri we were so tired, we made a big effort to have a mini hanami once again around the Yasukuni shrine near the Budokan.

We arrived earlier than last year, so I had the opportunity to take pictures during the day this time as well as at night.

We came prepared with bentos and peach shochu from Hanamasa. It wasn't the best bento I ever had.

Actually, it was quite ordinary, but it has to be done.

Drinking and eating under the sakura is quite nice.

I had a lot of looks from passers-by. You'd think they'd never seen a gaijin eating before. I think they secretly wanted to do the same thing too.

Of course there were lots of people taking photos of the cherry blossoms even with their mobile phone cameras.

There were quite a few people in hired blue boats admiring the sakura from the water. I'd love to have done it but neither of us had the energy to row, so we gave it a miss.

At night, the cherry blossoms look even more beautiful.

It seems that beautiful things are too good to last forever.

This is the weekend of the full bloom. By another week or so, the flowers will be gone for another year.

Maybe we value things more knowing they aren't meant to last.