We find out if salty sakura pink bread is really a good way forward for the chain. Japan has a penchant for white bread sandwiches. Commonly featuring fluffy slices of shokupan, made with an enriched dough containing milk, these sandwiches aren’t just confined to savoury fillings as they pair well with sweet ingredients too, opening […]

相変わらず、又兵衛桜の蕾時期が好きなもんで。 同じ様な写真をたくさん撮ってるんですけど、 この日のシーンが一番気に入ってます。 何度も言ってますが（笑） 咲いてしまうと樹形がわかりにくくなるので蕾時期が最高です。 &nb… 続きを読む: 今年のお気に入り写真 →

奈良に住んでると、 桜時期にこういう景色というのはたまに見かける。 有名な桜・・・というわけでは無いが、 地元の方々が大事にしている桜並木である。 記事に興味が持てたらポチッとクリック &nb… 続きを読む: 桜並木 →

弘法大師様も春の景色に。。。 記事に興味が持てたらポチッとクリック … 続きを読む: 長谷寺・春景 →

桜時期の長谷寺も美しき景色なり。 記事に興味が持てたらポチッとクリック &nbs… 続きを読む: 桜・長谷寺 →

又兵衛桜、２０２６年もよく咲いてました。 記事に興味が持てたらポチッとクリック … 続きを読む: 今年もよく咲いてました。 →

Gorgeous and tiny, yet contains the potential to break spirits and thumbs. The cherry blossom season tends to fall around the turn of the fiscal year, meaning that trying to squeeze out time for a holiday or a short trip to go and admire the delicate petals is not an easy feat to accomplish for […]

今年は 2026-03-25 から 2026-04-08 の期間で開催されました。「ばけばけ」人気にあやかってか県外や海外の観光客も多く，比較的天気に恵まれたこともあって（田舎にしては）沢山の人がいました。 毎年お城まつりでは武将や忍者のコスプレをした人が歩き回っているのですが，今年はラピュタのロボットのコスプレ？着ぐるみ？がいてビックリです。写真を撮られまくってました。 お土産に栗まんじゅうを買ってったり。

“Sakura saku” literally means “Sakura bloom” but it’s also code for something else. Japanese often feels like a deeply poetic language, where even everyday expressions carry layers of imagery and cultural meaning. A beautiful example is the phrase “sakura saku” (“cherry blossoms bloom”). Beyond its literal meaning, it has long been used to signify success, […]

ニュースでは、今年は開花が早いと言われながら、 結局早いのは東京だけで、他は例年通りな気がします（笑） ＴＶが東京基準であることに、常に違和感を感じながら、 結局ＴＶ離れが加速していきます。 写真は、満開の少し前。 &n… 続きを読む: 又兵衛桜 2026 →

Unique cherry blossom dessert conceals a surprising filling of traditional flavours. If you’re looking to explore an area of Tokyo that retains an air of traditional Japanese charm, then Kagurazaka in Shinjuku needs to be on your itinerary. As one of Tokyo’s few remaining geisha districts, this quiet corner of the city is dotted with […]

Solo-seen sakura are sometimes the best sakura. With sakura season in full swing, a lot of Japanese morning news shows are going out to local cherry blossom spots to interview people enjoying the views. For the most part, they’re lighthearted little segments, but one that our Japanese-language reporter Mariko Ohanabatake saw rubbed her the wrong […]

The Yokohama-based donut specialty chain incorporates a unique ingredient into its dough that results in a divine texture and taste. Sushi lovers may be tempted to read the “uni” in Uni Donuts as the word for “sea urchin” in Japanese, but it’s actually pronounced as in the English “university.” The freshly baked donut specialty brand […]

There’s a beautiful reason why Mr. Matsuda didn’t name his restaurant after himself. As Japan’s biggest restaurant chain for gyudon (beef bowl), and also its primary ambassador abroad, Yoshinoya is practically synonymous with the dish, But have you ever wondered how the chain got its name? Looking at how Yoshinoya is written in Japanese, 吉野家, […]

Moth poo and cherry blossom leaves are the secret ingredients in Secret Spring. We’ve seen a lot of weird tipples in our time, but a new release from Haccoba Craft Sake Brewery in Fukushima Prefecture beats them all with one very unique ingredient: insect poop. This special sake is actually made by fermenting rice with […]

Sakura season comes to the inside of Yamazaki’s Lunch Packs. Yamazaki Baking’s Lunch Pack series of sandwich pockets is a Japanese convenience store staple, with year-round hits like peanut butter or egg salad always being a good choice for a quick, convenient bite to eat. But Japan loves special seasonal flavors, and with the cherry […]

Rapeseed, tulips, nemophila, and over a million poppies line up for a floral relay. If you spend any time in Tokyo in the spring, you may be greeted by the sight of a flood of people competing for selfies with a single cherry blossom branch in famous parks like Ueno Park, or swept up by […]

Produced by Kawaii Monster Cafe creator, the Future Train diner serves up pink teriyaki burgers and wobbly pancakes aboard the Sakura Express. Kyoto in springtime is a fantastical sight: the traditional Japanese charm of the many temples and shrines, adorned with the soft, pink petals of the cherry blossoms. Travelers flock from around the globe […]

Once an under-the-radar sakura spot, this neighborhood near Shibuya has become dangerously congested. Around 20 years ago, Nakameguro was still one of Tokyo’s less famous, if-you-know-you-know cherry blossom viewing places. That’s no longer the case, though, as it’s become one of the city’s hottest sakura spots, particularly with a young adult crowd that flocks to […]

Taken on 2025-03-29 , Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/spiegel/54415681327/ 気候として今が春分の次候である桜始開（さくらはじめてひらく）に入ってるのと，さくら→3×9=27 の連想で3月27日を「さくらの日」としているそうな。 39（ザンク）で麻雀の点数を連想する私は汚れてますかね（笑）

やはり、 枝ぶりもよく見える開花前が最も美しくも妖艶である。 これくらいの明るい時間になると小鳥たちも集まってくる。 記事に興味が持てたらポチッとクリック &nbs… 続きを読む: 枝垂古桜 →

This might be the perfect hanami table. With sakura season officially underway and full bloom coming to many parts of Japan over the next two weeks, it’s time to start finalizing hanami (cherry blossom-viewing) party plans. The classic, and many would say still the best, way to enjoy the cherry blossoms is to head to […]

Latest forecast says peak sakura season is coming very early in 2026. With this year’s first reports of the opening of cherry blossoms in Japan, sakura season is officially underway. However, that doesn’t mean that it’s time to blow off work, grab a six-pack of Asahis and a whole bunch of sakura sweets, and head […]

相変わらず開花前のこの桜に魅了されている。 樹姿は美しく、妖艶さにあふれる。 夜明け前にここに来て夜明けを迎えると、 真っ暗なところから、 徐々に見えてくる巨大な桜の古樹の姿に、 畏敬の念をおぼえるのです。 … 続きを読む: 又兵衛桜 2026 →

Limited-edition pink dessert seems unseasonal at this time of year, but all will be forgiven if it meets our high standards. Every time spring rolls around in Japan, McDonald’s releases a seasonal dessert pie, often with a pink hue to celebrate sakura cherry blossom season. Now, following on from last year’s Strawberry Daifuku Pie, the […]

Three cities share the status of this year’s first sakura arrivals, with a fourth joining them one day later. The moment Japan waits all year for has finally arrived, as this week multiple cities reported the first flowering of this spring’s cherry blossoms of the Somei Yoshino variety, Japan’s most iconic and photogenic type. Three […]

Why sit on a tarp when you can zoom through flowers on a 100-meter slide or risk falling into the trees from 370 meters in the air? Anyone traveling to and around Japan during the spring knows that the country is famous for its cherry blossoms. These beautiful pink and white blossoms mark the end […]

From covers of classics to altogether newer songs, these are the melodies that Japanese youth associate with graduation in this current Reiwa age. March is graduation season in Japan. Thousands of students of all ages across the country participate in graduation ceremonies designed to evoke all manner of wistful emotions. If lucky, everyone’s feelings are […]

Nanohana, fuji, and more reasons to get out and see Japan’s springtime flowers. All of the seasons are celebrated in Japanese culture, but there’s a special mix of liberation and fun that comes with the arrival of spring. As the snow thaws and flowers start to bloom, many people are in the mood for their […]

Enjoy a special experience at one of the best cherry blossom viewing spots in Tokyo. If you’re looking for a place where you can sip on Starbucks while admiring the cherry blossoms in Japan, the Reserve Roastery Tokyo is an ideal destination. Set beside the Meguro River, one of Tokyo’s most popular hanami flower-viewing sites, […]