Cherry Blossoms at University of Washington

University of Washington

Cherry Blossom (Sakura)

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The photos were taken last week, April 2, 2011 at the University of Washington (UW). I was with my husband and my son when we went to UW to pick up my daughter from her dorm so she can spend her weekend with us. Before we leave I asked my daughter to swing by the campus where the cherry blossoms (sakura) are located and so while my husband and my son were eating in a Japanese Restaurant (they were so hungry that they opted no to join us) so my daughter and I headed to the "quad" where the cherry blossoms are and I was so amazed upon seeing the view: the cherry blossoms around the quadrangle and their buildings, I love the architectural structure. The weather cooperated that time (since we came from Seattle Center few minutes before, and it was raining hard...oh well what do you expect here....we're in Washington....hello! duh! hehehe), it's truly indeed a nice timing to take pictures of the sakura, it's so sunny! It seems like I am really missing Japan during this spring season where we used to go and visit Hirosaki Castle just to see and enjoy sakura festival. The missing part here is the food...there's no food! no street food! and no Japanese food! hehehe.

Note: I have to post these pictures first before continuing my Canada road trip's blog while cherry blossom is still in bloom ;-) and fresh hehehe

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival 2010

Sakura (cherry blossom)

another cherry blossom

"Weeping" Cherry Blossoms (but not fully bloomed yet)

Hirosaki Castle view (see the cherry blossoms were not fully bloomed), young teenagers were playing cards along the side of the road ;-)

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Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival (April 23 to May 5, 2010)

These photos were taken last April 24, 2010 when we went to Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival. We signed up for the ITT (Information, Tickets and Travel) Trip on base for this festival 2 months prior this date just to get seats (and so as not to drive up there). Usually this trip is sold out fast, so I bought the tickets during the first day of sale and we got on the 3rd bus already. Unfortunately we didn't know what would be the weather this day......the cherry blossoms were not fully bloomed yet. This year the spring is so late and same with the cherry blossoms. Last year, we went to Hirosaki same week as this date (last week of April) and the cherry blossoms were everywhere, pretty nice. You really can't predict the weather.

Luckily, I found 2 (out of 2,600) cherry blossoms tree which were "quite" bloomed so I took the pictures (first and second photos)....at least I saw some ;-)

The festival for this year started April 23 and ends May 5.

If you want to see my last year's photos in Hirosaki Festival, just click this.... "click" . It would be the same view anyway but different year hehehe.

I will post more pictures when I have time.

Wait...I wasn't joking when I said I found 2 trees.....here's the photo.

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival- Street and Exotic Food

Snail ??? eewww :-)



Octopus barbecue?



Sweet Potato Fries



Squid Barbecue



Fried Banana covered with flour



Cotton Candy


Ice Cream for 100 yen~ $1



Boiled Sweet Rice ??? I don't know the names



squid and chicken barbecue



sweet corn for 300 yen~ $3

Fresh Strawberry coated with syrup for 100 yen ~$1, wohoo way too much; 1 pack of strawberries is only 250 yen ~$2.50




Street Food Stalls



Hungry people walking :-) to get some food

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These photos were taken last week, April 25 during the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival. There were lots of street food to choose from, you will never ever feel hungry here :-) but bring lots of yen, some food are expensive.

Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry Blossom or "sakura" in Japanese




Another shot of sakura





Hirosaki Castle



Another view of Hirosaki Castle



Entrance gate




Another entrance gate





Bridge







Picnic at the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival


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Last Saturday, April 25 we went to Hirosaki Sakura Matsuri or Cherry Blossom Festival, it's about 2 hour- drive from Misawa. It was gloomy and cold last Saturday, and it drizzled around 3pm right after we left the park. By the way last Sunday, it snowed in Misawa, which covered the entire rice field, in front of our house (weird huh??).
The Cherry Blossom Festival is being held every spring in different places in Japan but in Hirosaki it usually starts around last week of April until first week of May but it really depends on the forecast report from Japan Metereological Agency.
Hirosaki park is decorated with 2,600 cherry trees of about 50 different varieties. It is one of the best cherry blossom-viewing spots in Tohoku region in Japan. Within the park is the famous landmark, Hirosaki Castle.
Once cherry blossoms open up, they usually become in full bloom within 10 days. The blooming period of cherry blossoms is about 5-12 days, depending on the kind of cherry trees and the weather.