SPRING BLOOMS

The arrival of spring in Japan is indicated by the appearance of cherry blossoms which start in the south of Japan around the end of March and spread northward with the onset of warmer weather. The cherry blossom is one of the symbols of Japan, and both Japanese and foreigners alike enjoy their brief but splendid bloom which culminates in clouds of pink and white petals when they begin to fall.

　

　

　

　

Flower viewing (hanami) is a popular pastime when the blossoms appear. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when these excursions gained popularity, people would show their appreciation of the beautiful cherry blossom through songs and poetry. Nowadays, the picnics and parties held are somewhat less refined, usually helped along by good doses of beer and sake and sometimes even a portable karaoke machine.

Fukushima has no shortage of spectacular scenery when spring arrives, with not only the fleeting beauty of the cherry blossom on display but also the multi-coloured blooms of other spring flowers in abundance around the prefecture. The blooms of the aptly named Hanamiyama (Flower viewing mountain) in Watari, Fukushima City are well renowned for their beauty. The blossoms can be enjoyed at leisure in Hanamiyama Park, where if you are lucky the cherry blossoms will appear late, blooming along with the peach blossoms and the golden bells (above two) creating a sea of pinks and yellows. Every April, artists, photographers and sightseers from all over the country gather to document and enjoy the colourful flowers as they blossom.

The blooms of spring arrives in Iizaka near Fukushima City in late April. Although not clearly shown here unfortunately, the remains of winter on the distant Mt. Azuma-kofuji forms an outline of a rabbit due to the topography of the mountain, as the snow melts at the end of winter. The locals call the image the "seed sowing rabbit" and takes it as a sign to start farming for the year.

Although cherry blossoms are the symbol of the coming of spring, they certainly are not the only flowers to be seen in Fukushima Prefecture when spring arrives. Fukushima's famous agricultural product is peaches, and in May, the sight of workers in the fields thinning peach blossoms is common.

Spring means not only the blossoming of the flowers but also preparation for the planting of crops to be harvested in summer and autumn. The tranquility of Hanamiyama Park is disrupted by the sound of a farmer's plough as he prepares his fields for crop planting.

Nearing the end of their bloom, fallen petals from cherry trees float down a stream in Midorigaoka Park in Sukagawa City. The bridge in the background completes the perfect Japanese scene.

Mt. Takashiba, which straddles Ogoe Town, Fukushima and Ono Town in central Fukushima Prefecture is another place of scenic interest in spring. By the end of May, the mountain is covered in a carpet of bright pink azaleas. A popular spot for hikers, Mt. Takashiba is an easy cimb of 884 metres and is easily accessible.

A bright yellow and white field of daffodils in Shiokawa Town in early spring. Snow still covers the mountain ranges in the distance.