As the old year fades...

 ... so too, this season's sakura... (90/365, 31 Mar 2022)

Today is the last day of the academic year, the Japanese financial year, everything starts afresh, tomorrow. Well, more or less. Some things continue on. I will continue working (rather than being home as planned, oh, a year ago), but not, I repeat not as the Head of the Department. It is beyond time to hand over the reins, and so we will. Via twitter, I have indicated I will write more about this experience over on the other blog. Suffice to say, I hope I will no longer be waking up to answer emails at 3:00am...but enough of that here.

Today, with the knowledge that the sakura petals in some parts (though not yet the park across the way) are starting to flutter their way to the ground, I decided the weekend would be too late to get the sakura at the Daibutsu down the road. We visited there last in January, when it snowed. I also visited this time last year, during last year's sakura season because, of course you do. 

And being a weekday, we can add the Tokyo Daibutsu to the uncrowded list for sakura viewing. I'm doing quite well in the isolated viewing stakes. The Daibutsu is just a couple of km walk, literally in the neighbourhood. It continues to be a lovely spot to visit. I will miss it when I leave.

Always smiling

Not all sakura...

Daibutsu

Not all sakura...

Of course, a visit to the Daibutsu usually means purchasing a little memento, a good luck charm, since this is a form of income for the temple. And it also means popping a little further down the road for a famous soft serve ice cream.  

Today, I took the Canon EOS 90D, 24-105mm lens and a couple on the iPhone 12 mini.

***And, as always, 

        I appreciate that you will respect the rights of the photographer, 

                                                                                                                just ask***

Portside also in the pink...

 ... and a whiter shade of pink too ... (89/365, 30 Mar 2022)

Today I had to head to campus for among other things, a meeting. As we get to the last day or two of the academic year, there are a few things to tie-up and sort out. (As I write, I have 25 hours left of the most onerous position I have held at a university ever...but more on that over on the other blog, when I recover physically and mentally.) 

In a brief moment between meetings, I was determined to get out there--waves broadly in the direction of the office window--to check the local sakura blooms. Much like yesterday, this part of town is rather uncrowded and so my accidental goal of seeking out uncrowded sakura appreciation spots is coming to fruition...

It started from the office, with a rather ominous-looking set of clouds on the horizon (despite, psychologically, the clouds on my horizon lifting), and then the 'view from above'. One view to take in of Tokyo in a time of sakura, is from several floors up, somewhere, anywhere, to really appreciate the pinks puffs of sakura throughout the city. 

Then it was down on the ground. Today's sakura, mostly, are yet another type, different from the ones we have seen here previously--yesterday's rich pink weeping version for example. It is, for an Australian, not unlike getting to appreciate that there are some 200 or so variations on a eucalyptus theme, and so it is with sakura. Anyway, today I noticed that the sakura mostly in this area are 'Oshima' sakura, mostly white and unusually the flowers and leaves coexist (mostly the flowers bloom, fade, fall and then the leaves come through--bit like jacarandas) and not only but also, the leaves on the Oshima sakura are often used in the sakura mochi sweets--one of my favourites, as it happens. 

Those clouds...

The view from above

Already over for some

Reflections

It's not really sakura viewing unless there are ducks on the water

Er, not sakura

Bunched up

There's a lot to take in in the Ariake precinct. I'd like to spend more time strolling. One day I will. Today aided by the Canon EOS M5, 18-150mm, for commuting reasons.