Sakura!!

I know this post has way too many pictures.  But you should see all I didn't put on.  We went picture-taking happy on a beautiful day yesterday.  The sakura is in full and beautiful bloom all over our area.  We took a few hours to enjoy the beauty around the area.  It restored our souls.  For a girl whose favorite color is pink, this is pure heaven.  In fact, as we sat under the sakura, I commented to Ken that this must be what heaven looks like!  Please enjoy Japanese sakura!

In Tsuruoka City Park, they really make sakura blooming a festive occasion.  We've been watching them set up booths and lanterns and lights for weeks.  People come to sell food and their wares to sakura seekers.

Working on selfies.  We get better!

You can even buy citrus trees,

flowering plants,

Or Koi fish to put in the pond of your Japanese garden.

The park is built around the site of an ancient castle and shrine.

There were many picnickers in the park.

Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?

Notice how the Japanese people sit seiza- with their legs underneath them.  Ouch!

This man was drawing the beauty.

I love this picture.  As my daughter, Kristen said, it reminds us of Anne and her "white way of delight."

Another fun picnic of Kindergarten children and their teachers.

At night, they light these lanterns and other lights.  It looks like a fairyland.

This picture represents so much of Japan: sakura, pine, and the flag.

I love the lighting of this shot.  I should have taken more!  Ha! Ha!

We volunteer at the local community center each week.  To celebrate the sakura, we had a little picnic.  Many of the ladies made special treats to share.  These sakura mochi treats were made by a 90-year-old lady that faithfully comes every week to volunteer. 

More mochi

These were the bento boxes we had for lunch.  They were beautiful, but some of the food was a little hard for we Americans to eat.  It was very Japanese, including jelly fish salad, an (sweet red bean paste), konnyaku, bamboo, and squid salad with mugi cha (wheat tea) to drink. 

The booths sold everything from candied fruits (oranges, strawberries, cherries, etc.)

Okonomiyaki,

Tako yaki (octopus balls,)

And more okonomiyaki

This beautiful tree is about 1/2 block from our home.  How we've loved driving by it every day!

These are also near our home.

In fact, remember Blackie, Ken's crow friend?  He/ she has his nest in one of those beautiful trees.

We love this very Japanese picture of the sakura on the mountainside with the lake and the  fog -shrouded mountains in the background.

This is one of our very favorite pictures we've taken in Japan.  It's a view of Tsuruoka from the mountain.  We may frame this one.

Wait- those aren't sakura! But they are beautiful.  Just to give you a break from pink!

In the afternoon, we went to Sakata to make some visits.  We went to the home of a less active sister that we visit regularly.  She wasn't home, but she lives right on the river.  We strolled along the river behind her home and got some more beautiful pictures.

Another one of my favorite shots!

You made it!  You got through all of the sakura pictures.  We are so grateful we will be here for two springs in Japan!  There just isn't anything more beautiful than Japan's sakura!