A River of Cherry Blossoms

A sure sign that warmer weather is here to stay.

The blooming of cherry blossoms is probably one event that’s looked forward to across all of Japan. And for good reason – it’s a sign that spring has legitimately arrived. A recent survey found that citizens in Aomori, the prefecture where I live, take the most pride in their cherry blossoms (After all, Aomori’s home to Hirosaki Castle, which is ranked as the top 桜 spot in Japan.) and spend the most time participating in 花見 (hanami, cherry blossom viewing). As one fellow ALT observed, that’s because our winters are so long and harsh. For people in the southern areas, like Okinawa or even Tokyo, new flowers aren’t anything to write home about. For Aomorians, though, any sign of life after five months of winter’s hellish mix of snow and wind is enough to celebrate.