With the sudden warm tempratures, the cherry trees in Tokyo and many cities on Kyushu have reached full bloom in recent days and will likely be past their peak by the end of the month. This is a record early peak season. The rain held off this weekend, making it the best days for Hanami, or parrtying under the cherry blossoms.
Specifically speaking, it's now German.
This is what happens when humans aim for the ideal...
(be aware that the contents may be disturbing)
We can also be smart too...
For the first in a 173 year event for Tokyo, I decided to give my first solar photography a try. With clouds passing by and covering up the sun periodiaclly, it was difficult to control the exposure through the whole shoot. I guess I did okay though. The photo set below.
Actually, I like the silght offset...
May 5 is said to be a day of the "Super-Moon", so I took some shots at it from my balcony.
Here's the best shot, with a little re-touching done.
The original, uploaded to Flickr.
An explanation of a "Super-Moon", by NASA :
Two weeks before Golden Week, some of Cycle Tokyo! members went out riding along the Tone River located north of Tokyo, started from Kurihashi and headed for Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture.
A one way ride just around 90Km total, was a very smooth one thanks to light follow wind. We packed our bikes and took them on the train to Kurihashi, and on the way back home from Takasaki.
A continuous carpet of very bright yellow Cole Flower (Celery cabbage) spreads along the cycling road, in full bloom just about now.
View 2012/04/21 Kurihashi to Takasaki Cycling in a larger map
April to May is a very good time to cycle here in the Kanto area.
Living Abroad In Japan is a really nice book about everyday life, travel and culture in Japan. Just about everything you'll want to know (and need to know) about Japanese life. In addition to detailed and up-to-date (second edition, published September 2008 !) information about life in Japan, the book gives the reader a very good veiw of all parts of Japan by covering all regions of Japan. A great read whether you're planning a trip to Japan, or you're just dreaming about one !
The book recommends bicycles as a very good transportaion method, and mentions Cycle Tokyo! as a good resource for Tokyo biking information. Guess what... the book is written by Ruthy Kanagy, our Bike Friday advisor ! :-) Since she has experience living in Japan herself, the book is really down to earth in terms of living information.
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