I've never known a culture/society that is so enraptured by flowers before. I like walking around
Kyoto because it's just so green. Many straights are completely lined with ginko trees, residential areas (like my home neighborhood) are filled with greenery. Even in town-town, lots of stores are either full-out flower shops or have a bunch of potted plants sitting outside just for atmosphere.
And they have plenty of places that are devoted to the appreciation of flower life. Dozens upon dozens of parks are dedicated to sakura (cherry blossoms) and for that short 2-week or so period are literally filled with everyone trying to enjoy the sakura season. People picnic, take pictures, and whisper sweet nothings to their lovers under the pink umbrella. My personal favorite spot was actually not the Gosho but rather the Philosopher's Path. The stream was lined by sakura trees and peddlers. I was a little obsessed for awhile -- we tried pickled sakura, sakura candies, and sakura ice cream :)
And it was so, so pretty whenever a draft picked up and the petals started dancing. Also, watching them endlessly float downstream was very easy on the eye. Next was fuji (wisteria) season. This was a favorite to me. I love wisteria already and being able to
spend an afternoon reveling in their beauty was very pleasant. In Nara, there was a garden dedicated to them where I actually took about 98 photos of fuji. Just lately crocus season (I forgot the Japanese name ...) has started. Yesterday, Alex and I returned to the field his otousan had pointed out previously. It was amazing!!
I really really like they way that the Japanese fully appreciate the ephemeral beauty of flowering plants. I think it's something Americans don't appreciate enough.
Kyoto because it's just so green. Many straights are completely lined with ginko trees, residential areas (like my home neighborhood) are filled with greenery. Even in town-town, lots of stores are either full-out flower shops or have a bunch of potted plants sitting outside just for atmosphere.
And they have plenty of places that are devoted to the appreciation of flower life. Dozens upon dozens of parks are dedicated to sakura (cherry blossoms) and for that short 2-week or so period are literally filled with everyone trying to enjoy the sakura season. People picnic, take pictures, and whisper sweet nothings to their lovers under the pink umbrella. My personal favorite spot was actually not the Gosho but rather the Philosopher's Path. The stream was lined by sakura trees and peddlers. I was a little obsessed for awhile -- we tried pickled sakura, sakura candies, and sakura ice cream :) 
And it was so, so pretty whenever a draft picked up and the petals started dancing. Also, watching them endlessly float downstream was very easy on the eye. Next was fuji (wisteria) season. This was a favorite to me. I love wisteria already and being able to 
spend an afternoon reveling in their beauty was very pleasant. In Nara, there was a garden dedicated to them where I actually took about 98 photos of fuji. Just lately crocus season (I forgot the Japanese name ...) has started. Yesterday, Alex and I returned to the field his otousan had pointed out previously. It was amazing!! 
I really really like they way that the Japanese fully appreciate the ephemeral beauty of flowering plants. I think it's something Americans don't appreciate enough.
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