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.

Years ago, ATMs used to closed from before January 1st and wouldn’t be available for use until around the 4th or 5th. If you needed money, you had to get it out of the bank before then, otherwise you’d be without money for almost a whole week. Nowadays, ATMs are open 24 hours at convenient stores, and some are open at other locations. But banks are generally still closed during the New Year holiday period.

Another place that closes down on the 1st is gas stations. If you wish to get gas on January 1st, good luck. You can find some on major highways, but ones in local townships are generally closed for at least on day.

Anyone traveling to Japan during the New Year holiday period should remember this and make sure to have enough cash available because stores, even large ones, sometimes don’t take credit cards. If you don’t have cash, you’re stuck, especially at restaurants!

For diehard hanami participants, the rain is actually a blessing. Wet grass and dirt deter many from leaving their homes, which means those who do venture out will not have to beat the crowds to popular cherry blossom places.

So if you are thinking that the rain tonight is going to spoil your cherry blossom viewing tomorrow, you might want to stick to your plan because the sun will come out tomorrow and you can bet your bottom dollar that it will be beautiful anywhere cherry blossoms are blooming.

Tomorrow blossoms will be mankai (fully bloomed) in most places around the Kansai region. Just don’t forget to take a sheet or chair to sit on if you plan to sit and admire the blossoms, or else you may need a change of clothes!

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

If you have not been to see momiji yet, fear not. You are probably a lot better off not having been somewhere yet.

Look for trees to be more colorful this coming weekend. Trees out in open sunlight will have already begun changing if not already begun dropping leaves. They may be past the red color stage and begun turning brown. Trees deeper in the forests hidden by sunlight will be turning colors and some may even be still green. But by this weekend, maple trees should be turning lighter green to yellow, orange and red.

For the better momiji viewing experience, venture off the more trodden path. You will more likely find unique beautiful autumn settings worthy of picture taking!

Here are some of mine from yesterday’s momiji check. ]]> https://kansainews.com/2010/12/02/poor-momiji-reports/feed/ 0 https://kansainews.com/2009/03/21/japan-toll-road-fee-for-the-next-two-years/ https://kansainews.com/2009/03/21/japan-toll-road-fee-for-the-next-two-years/#comments Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:53:52 +0000 https://kansainews.com/?p=454 Do you drive a car in Japan or want to but are afraid of the high toll road fees? Well, at least for the next two years, you will be able to drive anywhere outside the Kansai region for a total of 1000 yen. That’s right, 1000 yen!

Japan has decided to give drivers a break in normal driving fees on toll roads and will cap the toll charges at 1000 yen. Drives where distances before the cap were less than 1000 yen will still be less than the 1000-yen cap price, but drives for long disances will be capped at 1000 yen.

Say you wish to drive from Kyoto to Hiroshima. You will be charged about 1200 yen for the drive from Kyoto to the end of Nishinomiya, Kobe (roughly 60km), and then from that point to Hiroshima (320km), you will only be charged 1000 yen. Normally, the drive would cost about 10,000 yen overall, depending on the time you enter and exit the toll road. But the new cap price will no longer depend on the time you enter or exit a toll road and you will only be charged 1000 as long as either the time you enter or exit falls on a weekend day or holiday.

However, this 1000 yen fee does not apply to everyone. In order to receive the discounted 1000-yen-cap-fee, you must have an ETC card (Electronic Toll Collection card). The ETC card can be purchased at any AutoBacs or auto shop and installed for a nominal fee. If you wish to install your ETC card reading machine in your car yourself, it can be done very easily and will save you a few thousand yen in the process.

The capped toll fees of 1000 yen will begin April 1st, 2009 and end two years later. If you have an ETC card now, you will still be able to benefit from somewhat lower prices than those who drive without one. ETC cards also save on having to stop and go at toll booths and lining up behind other cars. The overall savings from having an ETC card, depend on the user. Weigh these points very carefully before you decide to buy one.

The Torroko trolley travels 7.3 kilometers in distance along the river and through 8 tunnels between Torroko Saga and Kameoka stations. The duration of the trip is 25 minutes and costs 600 yen.

Enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms, bamboo groves, or momiji Japanese maple leaves depending on the time of year you go. It’s a wonderful way to spend the day sightseeing and a must do activity if you visit Arashiyama!

For more information call (075) 861-7444.

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