March / April - 'Hanami'

These photos are from mid-March when the cherry blossoms were beginning to come out. All around the neighborhood there are cherry trees, often squeezed into tiny gaps between the houses and carefully tended.





This is Shinjuku Goen again.













A surburban road a few weeks later.



Flower viewing ('Hanami') at Yoyogi park. These photos are from a couple of weeks ago in early-April when the blossoms were at their peak.





As you can see blossom viewing is a Japanese ritual activity. The idea is to sit under the tree with friends, appreciate the beauty of nature, and meditate on the transitory nature of existence and the intoxicating powers of alcohol.

March - Ikadaba

At the end of March we went down to Ikadaba for the rice seeding with Rika's family.

This is Mt Fuji from the Shinkansen (bullet train), around Odawara.


This is Hannah, me and the 'Izu no Odori-Coach' at Shuzenji.


On the bus to Rika's mum's house. Hannah is wearing a jumpsuit in the co lours of the Otago University rugby club.


Working in the fields




Hannah at Rika's mums house.


Hannah with her cousin Masumi


Playing the piano with Masumi


Back at home with Minimi and Hannah.