I’ve just past month 7 of being back in Canada, and I’m not going to lie, I’m still homesick. This weekend has been especially rough, because there’s something going on in Japan that all my friends are going to that I would give the WORLD to see. (Dream Live 7th, for those wondering.)
Anyways, I’m not much the type to just sit around and sulk and be homesick, so when I’m missing Japan, I just bring Japan to me. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to spend an entire weekend doing just so in Toronto.
To me, the perfect weekend in Tokyo consisted of the following:
- カラオケ/ karaoke
- プリクラ / purikura
- 焼き肉 / yakiniku (or something equally delicious, like okonomiyaki)
- 舞台 / a musical
- 花見 / hanami, if in season
And so, last weekend, my goal was to do each of these, come hell or high water.
High Park Sakura, May 1st
I met up with my friend Elizabeth, who was going to be my accomplice and partner in crime over the weekend. She’d never been to Tokyo, so when I said I wanted to have a Tokyo weekend, she was naturally game. We booked the weekend, thinking that the sakura would be out in full bloom that weekend. However, due to the ridiculously warm spring we had this year, it was a week early, and there was the threat that we wouldn’t get to see the cherry blossoms at all.
It didn’t help at all that the weather for that Saturday was suppose to be absolutely miserable. Thunderstorms and rain and all those kinds of things that were sure to bring down the petals. Despite it all though, the sakura were the first thing we were sure to go check out in Toronto.
The trek from our hotel (Yaaay Delta Chelsea!) to High Park was long, but a day pass on the TTC made it cheap and easy ($10 = 2 people unlimited transit? TTC, I think I love you.) The sakura are smack in the middle of the park, so there was some walking, but by the time we got there, the rain had stopped. Now, I was absolutely sure that there were a few trees that had just budded when I was in Toronto the week before, and I was counting on those few trees.
They didn’t disappoint!
Water droplet on Sakura, May 1st 2010
While the hill was bare, for the most part, some of the younger trees were still in bloom! And these trees were a different type. The trees that had been in bloom before were Somei Yoshino. Last weekend, the Ichiyo trees were in bloom. These ones are fluffier, with many more petals and a pinker tint to them. With the post-rain water droplets on them, the flowers looked especially pretty!
So, with a little bit of luck, and the weather holding out for us, we were able to get to see the sakura, and so my cherry blossom viewing, aka hanami, portion of my trip had been completed!
One down, three to go!
つづく。。。
To be continued. 
I can’t wait to read about the rest! The suspense! XD
Beautifully written, by the way. Those pictures turned out UNBELIEVABLE. Gorgeous.
Ahh, I had so much fun that weekend. Seriously, thank you. <3
WILL OUR HEROES BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE ULTIMATE TOKYO-DOM? STAYED TUNED!!
Oh god, this is as suspenseful as a toku show.
That reminds me, did you want me to zip up the photos to send to you? I remember saying I’d send photos, but I can’t remember what it was I said I’d get. XD