IKEA Grand Opening April 14
For those of you who don’t already know or haven’t heard, the opening date for IKEA Port Island is April 14, 2008, next Monday. IKEA will open at 10am and close at 10pm. These will be the regular hours of operation. It is unusual to keep a store like IKEA open that late in Kobe, but because there is a restaurant, which can hold up to 750 guests, IKEA expects to attract a good crowd from around Port Island and Sannomiya after people in the area finish work. Before you visit...
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Perfect Weekend
Yesterday and today were perfect hanami days. It was the best weekend the Kansai area has seen in several years. Throngs of people were out enjoying the beautiful weather and cherry blossoms. The temperature yesterday was perfect. There was a slight breeze and the skies were mostly clear with only high upper clouds shading the ground below. For many, if their skin wasn’t somehow covered, either with clothing or sunscreen, they probably went back home with a slight suntan or...
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Cherry Blossoms Day 4
After a day of rain yesterday, the cherry blossoms on most trees are close to 50% opened. Still, many trees are not even close to 50%, but are more like 20% opened. Many blossoms are still cherries. This weekend, however, should be the perfect time to view cherry blossoms, if the weather holds up. Today, the weather is cool and partly cloudy with occasional showers. It’s a great day to shoot photos of cherry blossoms! Related PostsMankai – Fully Opened Cherry Blossoms Cherry Blossom
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Cherry Blossoms at Night
One of the best times to view cherry blossoms is at night. The dark background of the night sky and the bright whitish pink flowers make for beautiful snapshots. Many Japanese wander out at night for walks in parks or along walkways to see cherry blossoms as they bloom at night. The night air is cool and crisp. It’s a romantic setting! As of today, the cherry blossoms are opening up, slowly, and about 10% opened. If the air continues to stay cool the way it has the past few days, they...
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I See Pink
Sakura blossoms should be popping out soon! The pink color of the cherry blossoms is already showing. From far away, you can already see pink in the trees. Up close, the blossoms are showing their colors, but none of the blossoms in southern Kyoto have opened…yet. They should open in a few days though. Here are what they look like right now! Related PostsOpen Up Costco Kyoto! Saturday’s Gonna Be a Great Day for Hanami Hanami: Late Start Crash Course in Driving in Snow Northern Kyoto
Read MoreBuds Beginning to Appear
For most of the world spring comes on March 21st. But for Japan, spring doesn’t arrive until the cherry blossoms do. So in Japan, we have to wait another week or two, but not much longer because the cherry blossom buds are beginning to appear on the trees. Here in the Kansai area of Japan, the cherry blossoms are expected to begin popping out next week. They should be in full bloom by the first week of April. Cherry blossoms, or sakura as they are called in Japanese, can be viewed...
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