Under the Clouds of Heaven

Spring is a wily sort. It teases with anticipation, dropping tempting hints of warmth and sunshine, then mischievously hides without the faintest hint of where it's gone. Spring is like that. But what joy when it seems that Spring is here to stay! 

Add another layer to that here in Japan. The build-up to Cherry Blossom Season is nothing like I've ever seen. The first blossoms bewitch anyone in spotting distance to giddily clutch their neighbor by the arm, eager to point to the happy discovery. With each day, excitement thrums as a patient audience cheers the transformation of an ordinary tree into an elegant spectacle of white and pink. And for the briefest of moments, it would seem that heaven is sharing a bit of its glory. It's beautiful!

So much anticipation, and then suddenly it's over. The season is tragically brief, and this year was quicker than usual. But Chris was able to capture some happy springtime scenes, and it seemed only fair to share this little bit of heaven with you!

A walk through the campus of Tokyo Tech at
the start of the season

The same walk just a few days later. Note the number of people
is in direct proportion to number of blossoms!

Tokyo Sky Tree viewed from Asakusa Temple

Patrick and Evelyn...they bloomed where they were planted :-)
Good job, you two!

Shinjuku Park