Sakura and Yakiniku!

Talk about a great combination. Sakura first. This is hanami season in Japan which litterally means to look at cherry blossoms. This is nutty season for Japanese people who love the cherry blossoms. I mean, I enjoy looking at them alright-they're nice to see on your walk by, but Japanese people are just nutty about it!! People go out after work (or during work as organized by companies) and litterally sit under the cherry trees and eat and drink (and drink and drink and drink.)

Fumiko and I went to the Imperial palace and we got a few shots there. None of us actually together though unfortunately as there were only two of us there. Unfortunately we're a couple days past the peak viewing season as it has been a little windy and there was also a heavy rain so the trees are no longer in full bloom.

Now I know why I love Japan-yakiniku. It basically means "cook your own meat." I've been to a yakiniku restaurant a couple of times (all you can drink all you can eat) and it's pretty darned good but it's also a little pricey at 2600 yen per person for all you can eat. Then the other night, Jared came home with a portable gas range and I think I've had yakiniku at least three times since. I'm not quite sure if we're violating our lease by having one of these portable grills but I do know that there's nothing quite like cooking your own pieces of pork meat, taking it out with your chopsticks, dipping it in yakiniku sauce and tossing it in your mouth along with some sticky rice, all the while sitting in front of the TV watching American Idol. If that isn't heaven on earth then I don't know what is!

Anyways here are some pictures from today for the word challenged.