Sakura season

Most of my free time recently has been spent doing 花見 (cherry blossom viewing), whether it be at local parks, small clearings or near Kumamoto Castle. This year was special, as roads usually closed due to earthquake damage were specially opened for the season. 

The Japanese really do believe that they signify new beginnings, and to see the development in the castle restoration around this time of year surely brought some sense of hope to the locals with their fighting spirit. 

That’s one thing I love about everyone here; their utter embodiment of the phrase 頑張ろう熊本.

A complete juxtaposition to the delicate beauty of the sakura, was the Aso Fire Festival. This festival consists of various events over two months, but at the end of March we attended the fire swinging ceremony.
This Shinto rituals’ roots are based upon the twelve Gods who live in Aso Shrine. One of them, Kumitatsunokami, is the guardian of agriculture, and people hold a bale of hay (tied by rope) and swing it around their heads for a productive harvest. 

Suffice to say that health and safety would have a field day, with bales of hay flying into the groups of photographers cowering in the line of fire. I have to admit though, I released my inner cowgirl that night and thoroughly enjoyed the sense of danger and chaotic atmosphere of the whole occasion.

 

Sometimes the hype over the sakura can seem a bit much, and I usually don’t go to out of my way to see it. I find that it’s the places you stumble across accidentally are the ones that are the most beautiful; something I found on a visit to Tamana this past weekend. 

After brunch in a rustic café, we took a stroll along the riverside. Later we headed to Jagatani Park, where we headed to the top of the mountain to reach the observation area, walking through tons of beautiful cherries on the way up, and zooming past them on a giant slide on the way back down. 

In the late afternoon the four of us played some weird combination of crazy golf and croquet, and as the wind picked up the petals starting blowing all around us. We finished the trip with a dip in the local onsen, watching the sunset overlooking the Tamana countryside and the Ariake Sea.

With some rainy weather in store over the next few days, it’s safe to say that soon the delicate sakura petals will be scattered across the ground. It’ll mean the end to this year’s cherry blossom season, but what a season it’s been.

花見

In a blink of an eye, this year’s cherry blossom in Kumamoto has disappeared, almost as fast as it bloomed. There’s something I find so visually compelling during this season, when for around two weeks, the places you know so well suddenly transform into bustling havens of white and blush pink.

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This year the season was a little earlier, and quite frankly stunning. Apologies to my parents who came all the way to Japan last year to catch a pretty mediocre bloom… looks like they’ll just have to come back another time. Days spent chasing the smallest buds around the country last year were replaced with glorious blossoms scattered everywhere throughout spring break.

I’m lucky to work so close to Kumamoto Castle this time of year, meaning I could fully enjoy the sakura on my lunch break. Nothing beats visiting some small food stalls alongside the river, to sit and watch the wind blow the delicate petals around you. 

I took an evening trip to Honmyoji Temple with Kohei too. We watched the sunset, but I also experienced yozakura (night time cherry blossom viewing) for the first time. The sakura was stunning in a completely different way, almost glowing in the moonlight. It’s a shame that this season is so fleeting, but that’s part of the magic.

I did hanami (flower viewing) whenever I could, spending most of my days or afternoons off visiting the castle grounds. Usually complete with a makeshift picnic blanket and lots of alcohol. The castle restoration is showing signs of progress, with 7200 tiles recently replacing the roof, allowing the temporary cover to be removed. 

I think the blooming sakura is somewhat representative of the resilience of Kumamoto and its people.  Although it may be delicate, it brings people together through tough times and keeps coming back. In this year’s case, brighter and more abundant than before.

My little souvenir from Seoul.

I’ve followed Banul for a few years now, and her delicate designs have made me fall more and more in love with her tattooing style over time. She is extremely busy, so when I noticed she’d opened bookings coinciding with a trip I’d already planned, I threw caution to the wind and hoped for the best.

Despite my tight schedule, I managed to get an appointment for the day I arrived in Seoul; so after heading practically straight from the airport, I was about to embark on my first tattoo adventure.

Upon entering her studio, I felt more like a treasured roommate than a customer in the best way. I arrived at 6pm and left at 10:45pm, with the tattoo taking just over two and a half hours. The rest of the time was dedicated to redrawing my design to get it perfect and feeding me instant tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes).

Banul creates her floral designs using real photos of flowers, before photoshopping them into a design on her computer. As we’d discussed my idea beforehand, she had three designs waiting for me. After seeing my skin, we decided some pinks would be too light, and after giving my opinions she spent over an hour and a half creating a new design I was completely happy with. Banul is so talented, in the sense that even before I’d voiced my opinions, she was already drawing exactly what I wanted.

I couldn’t have asked for a more comfortable experience, and would totally recommend her to anyone interested. I almost fell asleep on the table, because the gospel music playing and her angelic singing throughout added to how relaxed I was.

It’s healing like a beaut, and I feel like it’s been part of me for much longer than it has. I think that’s why Banul is just so good. Not only can she create intricate pieces of art, but she understands you on a personal level and is fully devoted to taking her time and giving you exactly what you imagined. The pictures she put on her Instagram of my tattoo got over 7,000 likes, so many more people have been absorbed by the beauty of her tattoos too. Does that make me Instagram famous? Maybe not, maybe just my side boob.

Getting this tattoo has been a learning curve in more ways than one. The main one? Having to go braless for two weeks (I’m on day 6, will it never end?!), when I’ve barely done more than a cheeky Tesco run *Non-Brits, read ventured outside* without one in about 10 years.

School has been interesting… I’m wearing more layers of clothes to ensure I don’t smack a kid in the head, and I’ll admit I had to body swerve a special needs kid who came running up to me for a hug. That kind of contact I was not, and still aren’t quite ready for.

To those of you who go without a bra daily, I applaud you. For me, I’m counting down the days until this hell is over and I’ll celebrate with a large glass of wine.