Flooding is occurring from some of the heaviest downpours I have ever seen. Lightning strikes of about 1 per every 2 seconds are popping all around.

So what’s the difference?

It’s Obon period.

For those of you who don’t know what Obon is, you can read more about Obon from this article: Japanese Obon.

If you need to drive anywhere in Japan during Obon, avoid the major highways and toll roads. They will be most traveled.

To get anywhere you want to go faster, drive on smaller highways. While the speeds may not be the fastest, you will most likely get to your destination much quicker nonetheless…even with all the stoplights!

During Obon, traffic on major highways and toll roads can take hours to travel as short a distance as 20 kilometers because of congestion.

Drive safely, or as they say in Japanese English, Safety Drive!

From this point on, blossoms will begin dropping their petals.

Saw some cherry blossoms today in Hirakata shedding. Petals were dropping off and blowing in the wind creating the snow effect that many people long to see. The ground was a beautiful mix of brown and whitish pink.

The next stage of cherry blossoms will add more color as the green leaves begin to spring forth. This point of hanami is my favorite. The bright and dark contrasting colors make for excellent photos.

On my way back to Kyoto, I stopped along the way checking cherry blossoms.

Cherry blossoms in Osaka seem to be opening a bit faster than Kyoto. It didn’t matter if trees were out in the open or hidden behind a building. Trees in the Minoh area of Osaka have a lot more blossoms opened than trees in southern Kyoto.

I would estimate Osaka cherry blossom trees are about 20% open as of today. Kyoto cherry blossom trees are about 5% or less. However, most of the buds on trees in Kyoto are already pink and look like they are all about to pop open in the next day or two.

Expect blooms to be opened more along the 40% level on Saturday in Kyoto. If you want to view trees with more blossoms opened this weekend, Osaka would be the better city to visit.

Heading to Nara to check the cherry blossoms this afternoon! Will report on Nara blossoms later tonight.

Florally speaking, plum blossoms are the first to bloom. Birds fill the branches as they sip the nectar from the flowers. A few weeks later, cherry blossoms make their presence known. After cherry blossoms (sakura), peach blossoms begin their process. They are somewhat temperamental and bloom depending on winter temperatures, location and spring weather. Iris flowers bloom in late April to early May, while other flowers on the ground begin blossoming out with plum blossoms and continue all the way to the end of summer.

One of the most common flowers visible in spring is the dandelion, tanpopo in Japanese. They add extra color to landscape photos of cherry blossoms, blue picnic tarps and hanami viewers.

Springtime means a break for students. Japanese students are out at the end of March for a week or so while everyone else is busier than usual finishing out the fiscal year before the new one starts in April. Aside from students, the only people who aren’t putting in extra hours at work are the retirees.

If you travel in Japan in spring, you are bound to run across huge groups of elderly and retirees as they are the majority of the tourists visiting parks, museums, shrines, temples and hiking in Japan other than rich Chinese. Practice your Japanese or maybe even some Mandarin before you come for a visit. Elderly are learning English and many other languages. Many love to spark up conversation with foreigners visiting their home country.

The OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance 2011 will be from December 14 (Wed), 2011 to December 25 (Sun). The 9th OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance is a symbol of Aqua Metropolis Osaka. Building the light display is a way to show the energy of Osaka via Nakanoshima, Osaka.

This year, numerous plans have been prepared for the “Central Venue” around Osaka City Central Public Hall and the “East Venue” in Nakanoshima Park. Approximately 460 gingko trees have been decorated along the 1.9km length of Midosuji.

Osaka “Aquarium” Kaiyukan

Osaka “Aquarium” Kaiyukan in the Osaka Port area will be displaying illuminated forms of sharks, dolphins, penguins and other sea creatures. A 22-meter tall tree is illuminated and changes colors every few minutes.

Adding beauty to the light display, a mist fills the air giving off a spectacular atmosphere in the night lights.

Also, a mist blast adds a fantastic atmosphere. The popular rockhopper penguin from Kaiyukan comes to Event Square jumping on the switch to turn it on (approx. for 5 minutes from 17:00) on weekends and holidays until December 25 (Sun). Please come and see him do his stuff.

Eco-Friendly

This year’s illumination events have been created through joint efforts of many people. LED lights and environmentally-friendly sources of electricity are being used this year to conserve energy through lower electricity consumption.

According to them, radiation coming from the Fukushima plant will be passing over the Kansai region starting tonight and throughout the rest of the day tomorrow.

Click this site for the air pattern and map. Radiated Air-flow Map

Wakayama, however, did experience a tsunami along the coastal areas.

If your family lives along the coastal area of Wakayama, they may have been effected by the quake.

Locations - Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka

In front of Osaka City Hall, Miotsukushi Promenade road and surrounding area, Osaka Central Public Hall to Nakanoshima Park(Rose garden, Kensaki Park) and the north public square of Osaka Science Museum.

Osaka Hikari Renaissance

Dates – Saturday December 11 to Christmas Day, Saturday December 25, 2010

Hours – 17:00 – 22:00

The hall will be available February 2, March 2, July 6 and August 3.

Anyone wishing to use the hall can obtain an application form from the website Phoenix Hall. Thr deadline to apply is January 29.

For more information call (06) 6363-0211.