Hanami is the practice of eating and drinking to welcome the arrival of spring. People gather to celebrate the warmer weather anywhere gently falling cherry blossoms can be found, such as parks or by the riverside. Many companies host annual picnics for staff to enjoy lunch and a few beers under the blooming trees.
This tradition was in full swing the day I visited Himeji’s famous White Heron Samurai castle. This iconic castle sits on a low hill overlooking an expansive park in the centre of town. The park was filled with happy revealers on picnic rugs shaded by blossom-laden trees. The park was originally defensive land laid out in front of the castle. Today it’s still partially enclosed by the castle’s original moat.
Most visitors to the park, and castle, enter via the Sakuramon-bashi Bridge. The bridge leads onto Sannomaru Square, an open field ringed by Sakura trees. In Spring the square and surrounding parklands are transformed into a sea of blossoms. After visiting the castle, I decided to stop for lunch under a tree and enjoy homemade sandwiches secreted from my hotel breakfast room that morning.
As I sat, I was approached by a Japanese man. He asked in perfect English if I was alone. I said I was. He invited me to join his colleagues who were picnicking nearby. He was keen to practice his English and thought I’d enjoy participating in his company's annual picnic.
I accepted his invitation. I then spent several hours drinking beers and enjoying the sunshine with my newfound friends. I discovered that my drinking companions were from the local police station. Even funnier, thanks to an unusual Japanese tradition, the local police force got me rather plastered.
I’d forgotten that it’s considered rude to fill your own glass. Instead, you’re supposed to fill each other’s glass as you drink. Your drinking companions then signal that they're ready for a refill by diligently filling your glass. As a result, my English-speaking friend kept patiently filling my glass which I duly consumed again and again. One of his mates eventually cottoned on to what was happening and began filling his glass on my behalf.
I can therefore claim to have been entertained by the Japanese police force. I can also claim the dubious distinction of being publicly intoxicated in the middle of the day and bear witness that the local police were responsible for my intoxication.
The White Heron castle was truly magnificent. I cannot describe how visually stunning it is. The day I visited, cherry blossoms were in full bloom everywhere I looked, creating the perfect backdrop for the castle’s striking white walls and black-trimmed eaves. I spent a couple of hours exploring this remarkable building and its grounds. This included progressively making my way up to its uppermost floor where the view was simply spectacular.
As I sat, I was approached by a Japanese man. He asked in perfect English if I was alone. I said I was. He invited me to join his colleagues who were picnicking nearby. He was keen to practice his English and thought I’d enjoy participating in his company's annual picnic.
I accepted his invitation. I then spent several hours drinking beers and enjoying the sunshine with my newfound friends. I discovered that my drinking companions were from the local police station. Even funnier, thanks to an unusual Japanese tradition, the local police force got me rather plastered.
I’d forgotten that it’s considered rude to fill your own glass. Instead, you’re supposed to fill each other’s glass as you drink. Your drinking companions then signal that they're ready for a refill by diligently filling your glass. As a result, my English-speaking friend kept patiently filling my glass which I duly consumed again and again. One of his mates eventually cottoned on to what was happening and began filling his glass on my behalf.
I can therefore claim to have been entertained by the Japanese police force. I can also claim the dubious distinction of being publicly intoxicated in the middle of the day and bear witness that the local police were responsible for my intoxication.
The White Heron castle was truly magnificent. I cannot describe how visually stunning it is. The day I visited, cherry blossoms were in full bloom everywhere I looked, creating the perfect backdrop for the castle’s striking white walls and black-trimmed eaves. I spent a couple of hours exploring this remarkable building and its grounds. This included progressively making my way up to its uppermost floor where the view was simply spectacular.
This multi-storey castle is unique. It’s one of a handful of Samurai castles still standing in their original timber form. Instead, most castles you see, including nearby Osaka and Hikone castles, are ferro-concrete reproductions. However, Himeji is the real deal.
You can read more about the castle in a blog post I published when Garry and I visited in 2006.
You can read more about the castle in a blog post I published when Garry and I visited in 2006.
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