花見

Hanami is a word that is taken very seriously by Japanese people. It involves blue tarps, bentos, selfie sticks and flowing beer. The word is difficult to translate to english because we just don't do the same thing. Hanami refers to the pastime of watching sakura flowers in bloom. Kind of like bird watching, with a little less action. Just kidding, mostly.
Anyways this pastime is well covered by the local news stations, helping people figure out the prime days to watch the gorgeous sakura in bloom. I had the chance to enjoy hanami with my family and friends, in Tokyo and Tottori. It was relaxing and beautiful. One thing I will miss the most when I leave is the way Japanese people celebrate everything with festivals and excitement. In Canada the cherry blossoms are beautiful too, but we don't stop to notice them.