And for our Japanese lesson of the day...
花-flower
見-see, look view (verb)
桜-sakura (cherry blossom!)
That season is here...the cherry blossoms have made EVERYTHING pink and it is just beautiful.
There is always a predicted weekend in every prefecture on when the cherry blossoms will be at their prime...and of course...we celebrate that like there is no tomorrow. Over the secondish week in May was the prime time here in Niigata. The festivals for flower viewing feel over the weekend of May 11-12. There were cherry blossom parties everywhere and we were not about to miss out on it!
A large group of ALTs (and others) planned to meet in Joetsu (south part of Niigata prefecture) at the Joetsu Castle, Takada, which is a famous viewing spot (number 3 for night viewing we heard!)
We had the perfect spot, right on the water, under tons of blossoms and a great view of castle. We threw down our tarps, hit the stands for delicious matsuri food and toasted to a beautiful day.
(Laura, me and Mark with our food and drink...)
Yes, we started drinking around 1....hey, it was 5:00 somewhere....
(a small group of us toasting to the blossoms)
The view from our spot...
and the trees we sat under...
And the matsuri is full of lots of fun things like cool picture opportunities...
the best takoyaki (octopus ball) EVER (yes...that is a WHOLE octopus in each ball...YUMMY!!!)
and games...(you have to catch as many goldfish as you can before the rice paper paddle falls apart)
And CHICKENS!
Obviously the place to be...
Many views from around the park...
(up close)
(Sakura road-very busy!)
(the castle)
We went for many walks to stay warm...and had races up the hill...Dave won and Marshall and I each owed him 50 yen...
Flowers+sunset=BEAUTIFUL!!
(Laura and I)
(Dave and I)
And then night fell...Takada park lived up to its fam...the night viewing was amazing...
(but it was COLD! Marshall and I)
(A view from where we were sitting)
(blossoms and boats on the water!)
(Sakura road at night!)
(and up close)
花-flower
見-see, look view (verb)
桜-sakura (cherry blossom!)
That season is here...the cherry blossoms have made EVERYTHING pink and it is just beautiful.
There is always a predicted weekend in every prefecture on when the cherry blossoms will be at their prime...and of course...we celebrate that like there is no tomorrow. Over the secondish week in May was the prime time here in Niigata. The festivals for flower viewing feel over the weekend of May 11-12. There were cherry blossom parties everywhere and we were not about to miss out on it!
A large group of ALTs (and others) planned to meet in Joetsu (south part of Niigata prefecture) at the Joetsu Castle, Takada, which is a famous viewing spot (number 3 for night viewing we heard!)
We had the perfect spot, right on the water, under tons of blossoms and a great view of castle. We threw down our tarps, hit the stands for delicious matsuri food and toasted to a beautiful day.
(Laura, me and Mark with our food and drink...)
Yes, we started drinking around 1....hey, it was 5:00 somewhere....
(a small group of us toasting to the blossoms)
The view from our spot...
and the trees we sat under...
And the matsuri is full of lots of fun things like cool picture opportunities...
the best takoyaki (octopus ball) EVER (yes...that is a WHOLE octopus in each ball...YUMMY!!!)
and games...(you have to catch as many goldfish as you can before the rice paper paddle falls apart)
And CHICKENS!
Obviously the place to be...
Many views from around the park...
(up close)
(Sakura road-very busy!)
(the castle)
We went for many walks to stay warm...and had races up the hill...Dave won and Marshall and I each owed him 50 yen...
Flowers+sunset=BEAUTIFUL!!
(Laura and I)
(Dave and I)
And then night fell...Takada park lived up to its fam...the night viewing was amazing...
(but it was COLD! Marshall and I)
(A view from where we were sitting)
(blossoms and boats on the water!)
(Sakura road at night!)
(and up close)
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