Sakura : Cherry Blossoms

This year I was lucky! Cherry Blossoms were expected to bloom around the 3rd week of April. Instead, because of the cold weather, the did on the first week of april and i had finally the chance to see them.

I went to sakurakawa (Cherry Blossoms River) to find out how japanese enjoy this traditional occurrence.

I thought they would just stroll under the trees and take few pictures, but what i found was really surprising!

Japanese Enjoy the cherry blossom with pic-nics under the trees. Full families meet in places like this one to have nice time and enjoy food and drinks.

Most of them were families, but there were a lot of students, probably from the university, that enjoyed them in a different way.

It didn't take me long to realize they were playing the "bottle game" where after sitting in circle and spinning a bottle in the center, the choosen one had to empty a can of beer bottoms-up!

It didn't take long for the guys to get drunk. At 3PM they were so drunk that were throwing up everywhere. Some of them sleeping and feeling sick. Most of them Boys, but girls did enjoy it too although they looked quite fine.

On the street was possible to purchase a small glass of sake for 100 Yen (CHF 1.20) and you would get a complimentary wasabi-peanuts pyramid shaped small bag.

I finished the sake...and tasted (just) a few of the wasabi peanuts...