Sewari Park in Yawata is the #1 Cherry Blossom Viewing Place in Kansai

by Kyle Yates | Apr 3, 2014 | Kansai Culture, Kansai Events, Kansai Leisure, Kansai Living, Kansai Parks, Kansai Visitors

Japan is a small largely populated country where the majority of its 128 million residents celebrate spring by going to a park or shrine to see cherry blossoms. Parks and shrines are usually crowded on weekends and popular ones are even crowded on weekdays. This is...

Mankai – Fully Opened Cherry Blossoms

by Kyle Yates | Apr 12, 2012 | Kansai Area News, Kansai Culture, Kansai Leisure, Kansai Visitors

Have been visiting cherry blossoms spots all week from Osaka to Kyoto to Nara and the blossoms have finally reached 100%! From this point on, blossoms will begin dropping their petals. Saw some cherry blossoms today in Hirakata shedding. Petals were dropping off and...

Cherry Blossoms at 50%

by Kyle Yates | Apr 9, 2012 | Kansai Area News, Kansai Culture, Kansai Leisure, Kansai Visitors

The past few days before the weekend were warm, but this weekend got a little cooler. Cherry blossoms were about 30 to 40% opened Saturday and about 40 to 50% today, Sunday. With the warm weather we had during the daytime yesterday and today, the blossoms should open...

Freaky Hanami Weekend Weather

by Kyle Yates | Apr 3, 2012 | Kansai Culture, Kansai Leisure, Kansai Visitors

For the past few years, weekends have been a drama with weather. One thing that has almost always happened is it rains Friday night and stops early Saturday morning. Then around lunchtime, the clouds begin gathering again. From this point, it’s anyone’s...

Kyoto Cherry Blossoms Just Starting to Open

by Kyle Yates | Apr 2, 2012 | Kansai Area News, Kansai Events, Kansai Leisure, Kansai Living, Kansai Visitors

Cherry blossoms in Kyoto are opening a little later than last year, but they are opening. It’s Monday, April 2nd and April Fool’s Day is over. So no fooling around when I say the cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom. Yesterday, April 1st, was a rather...