Don’t go to Tokyo when it is sakura season, everybody goes when it is sakura season. On the other hand there is a reason why everybody goes when it is sakura season so maybe it is worth the highest rates for hotels and flights and the masses of people who swarm into the city.

Sakura, the cherry blossom is extremely cheesy. I mean, white flowers everywhere and people snapping and smiling. Extremely cheesy. It is also extremely pretty. And I chose the word pretty and not beautiful because it is pretty, in a cute white flowers kind of way. Pretty pretty pretty.

Yes, even a cynic like me has had some deep revelation about the value of pretty when confronted with so many small flowers , painting the streets white like snow in a summer day, blowing in the wind with every strong gust, a small cloud of white petals. It is indeed enchanting.

You don’t really have to go to all the places that the guidebooks recommend, the places for sakura watching, it is everywhere, in every small neighborhood park, in every shaded street. If there is real value in going to the designated places is just to see all the people gathering around. I know, that it doesn’t sound logical to seek out the people when watching the cherry blossom in its glory, but in the main parks of Tokyo, it brings together friends and families for huge picnics and celebrations under the white of the trees, and for a second, the magic works and everybody looks relaxed and happy and good willed. A lot of small white flowers. A lot.

I could continue to wax poeticly, but as we know, the Japanese are short with words. And in accordance with that tradition I will just let you see.