Pink Dreaming

Ah Sakura Season. What a dream! It may be crowded everywhere, but the sheer amount of trees blooming
around the city, and the size of some of them has been spectacular. So much fluffy goodness. There's a
vintage second hand shop in Harajuku where I found my first yukata for just around $12, and I decided to
drop by again to see if there were any good sakura season kimono for cheap. I cannot even believe my luck
at finding this perfect pink gem. Vintage and only $20! And it has sakura printed all over it and gold thread
detailing to match the gold obi (sash) I already own. I walked out of that store on cloud nine. I've always
stayed away from pink my whole life, but I'm really feeling it at the moment.

The sakura was peaking in the middle of the week, and I knew I really wanted photos in front of the huge
blooming trees in Shinjuku Gyoen, so I convinced Ryan to rush over there with me at opening time before we
both had work so we would be the first ones in, and could get out and to work quick. Three cheers for
Ryan's flexibility and willingness or these would not have happened for sure. It was a really bright sunny
day- the sun rises at like 5am here in Tokyo, and the park didn't open until 9, so we were kinda out of luck
with good light and had to deal with really harsh shadows and backlighting. But I think for the most part
they turned out close to how I was imagining, and i'm just really happy to have some photos in my new pink
sakura kimono in front of sakura in Japan. I want to say 'It's the little things' but this was actually quite
an involved and multi-layered 'thing'.

It has been so much fun to try all the different sakura flavoured foods, drinks, and snacks that have
popped up all over shops and restaurants over the last two months. Japan wins at seasonal flavours and
celebrations. So far I think sakura ice cream and the different kinds of sakura pastries I've tried have
been my favourite. I even tried a sakura chai latte the other day. Maybe I'll do a post soon of some of
the different foods for this season. I only wish there was more time with nice weather available to just
lounge around, picnic, and soak it all in. The sakura peak was right in the middle of the week this year,
so on the weekends it was either a little too early or a little too late. I think I still managed to
squeeze in a decent amount of hanaming though<3 miss it already.

I love you Spring. I really do.

Love,
From Japan,
Kathryn