Hanami Number 1

Posted on 2006/04/06 15:23:51 (April 2006).

[Tuesday 4th April]
So I was pleased to find on my return to Japan that I hadn't missed the cherry blossom - they were coming to an end, but I could still appreciate the full bloom. So that meant hanami season was in full swing - the one time of the year when the Japanese feel comfortable about drinking outdoors. Oh, apart from the summer when they have those "beer gardens". Oh, and the winter when they go and visit hot springs, and have those little sake boats floating along by their sides.

I have yet to discover what the Autumnal excuse for exterior alcohol consumption is, but no doubt there is one.

Anywho, at this time of year, almost every spare afternoon and evening is a potential hanami. So Chie and I decided after work to try and find a nice park, and have dinner plus a drink or two in the great outdoors, whilst admiring the cherry blossoms (in the dark). After a bit of research, we discovered that Inokashira Park (which can be incorrectly translated as "I believe it may be a dog" park) was open until late, and as it was not too far from where we live, this was obviously the place to go.

It wasn't difficult to find. Just after we got off the train, we went to a nearby conbini (convenience store) where seemingly everyone else was buying a few beers and a bento. So we just followed these people really.

It was pretty busy there, it is seemingly quite normal for companies to give their employees an afternoon off around this time of year, or at least let them leave early, which meant many people in the park looked, well, like they had been enjoying themselves for some time already. Despite my rather cynical opening paragraph, it is actually quite uncommon to see Japanese people drinking outdoors so it was something of a sight to behold.

Chie and I were very sensible - we just sat quietly on a bench, had a token beer each, and watched the world go (or more appropriately stagger) by. Still, a very nice evening out nonetheless.

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