this post is going to be pretty pink!
...but it was the perfect time to visit.
It's not white, yet it's not pink. It's not as dark as purple either...it's sakura!
Quick shot of the mote surrounding the castle grounds...no, no boat ride...please.
sakura blossoms everywhere: the castle grounds turns pink only once a year...
castle in the distance: when you pass the mote and enter the grounds, you are welcomed by a huge field...a place to gather or pretty much do what you want...
but you can also choose to stay on the path, and enjoy the blossoms...
...or sit down and enjoy them too.
hanami (picnic under a cherry blossom tree) : Everyone does this at some point. very nice.
the castle: probably one of the most famous, and visited in japan....
...again, sakura: they have special areas around the castle where there are just sakura trees everywhere. literally covering the sky.
view of the city from the top of the castle.
heavy stuff: kabuto also known as a shogun uniform
as promised...: " wow ben, look at this birdcage!" - anonymous.
"Himeji serves as an excellent example of the prototypical Japanese castle, containing many of the defensive and architectural features most associated with Japanese castles." -wiki.
ok, riiiight.
and more sakura (桜 サクラ, cerisiers ornementaux, cherry blossoms)
slightly different shades of color depending on the region, the sakura tree for many represents the light, temporary side of nature...the beginning of spring.
Could the color come from the blood of the earth, slightly diluted, passing through the soul of the tree??
The downtown part of the city is pretty funny because as soon as you get out from the station, your faced with one big boulevard that leads to the city's biggest attraction: Himeji-jo, also known as Himeji castle. So because of time, that's pretty much all we saw!
yup...moms got the local picture virus too. uh-oh.
On the way back from the castle, i awoke from my deep slumber...when suddenly- what?!...was i still dreaming or...was i back in the bay already?!
to be continued...
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