Cherry Blossoms!

No, the cherry blossoms aren't here yet -- the plum blossoms are! -- but Kate and I were delighted to see that on the news last night there was a national forecast of the expected blossoming dates throughout Japan. For our region the bloom is expected to begin on March 25. You can see a similar forecast here. The level of enthusiasm over the cherry blossoms strikes both of us as one of the really wonderful things about this country. For those of you thinking of coming to visit, here's how to plan your trip around the cherry blossoms. And finally, here's some pictures of the cherry blossoms themselves (as well as other things typically Japanesey). Love to all.