Ume Blossoms on the 1st Day of Spring

While cold temperatures are still holding up we were blessed with a beautiful sunny day and blue skies today. So in the spirit of the first day of Spring I ventured out to admire some ume (plum) blossoms. While cherry blossoms get all the glory when it comes to heralding the arrival of Spring, modest blooming buds of ume have been held in high regard here in Japan and celebrated by the ume matsui (plum blossom) festivals all around the country filled with performances, and plum-themed food stalls. Early February to mid-March is when the city starts filling up with bursts of white, blush and hot pink. You can spot the blooming trees everywhere although there are a few parks which boast with a nice choice for plum-watching. I visited Hanegi Park in Setagaya and Koishikawa Koraguen in Suidobashi to take photos of these gorgeous blooms which I thought I’d share with you all. The rest of the landscape in the parks is still pretty lifeless exuding serene and zen-like atmosphere. 

Happy Spring everyone!

xoxo, nano