The humble plum blossom is like, perhaps, the sakura's often overlooked younger sister. A bit of a wallflower, you might say. Sakura blossoms get most of the love both in Japan and overseas--you don't see Starbucks, for instance, putting out a line of ume-themed snacks and drinks.
I would argue, however, that ume are just as, if not more, delightful than sakura.
Ume bloom in a variety of colors, from a sort of pearly white to pale pink to a deep fuchsia. They also bloom as early as late February and truly seem to herald the beginning of spring, and if sakura are "cute" ume are "elegant." Hana-mi (lit. "flower viewing") is just as pleasant for ume as it is for sakura, with the added benefit of fewer crowds.
With these delights in mind I met up with my friend Kat for an afternoon of flower viewing and other traditional Japanese cultural delights. We elected to meet at Yushima Tenman-gu, a Shinto shrine near the Hongo campus of Tokyo University that is famous for its plum blossoms.
True to form for Japanese festivals, Kat showed up in an incredibly elegant kimono.
Then we simply wandered about the shrine grounds, enjoying the warm, sunny weather and admiring the plum blossoms:
It's also examination season in Japan right now for students applying to university. It's tradition, for some, to go pray at shrines and temples to pass these exams. Yushima Tenman-gu is one of the shrines popular among students, and so many ema (wooden tablets) had been left with messages like "I wish to pass my exam" or "Success in examination" that the supports seemed to bow under their collective weight.
After wandering about, admiring the flowers, and perhaps munching on some street food (like fried chicken and some weird sugar-caramel disc) we escaped the crowds at Wagashi Kurogi, a nearby shop that specializes in Japanese sweets.
One of Wagshi Kurogi's unique offerings is their monthly kakigori (shaved ice). A mound of fluffy shaved ice is topped with macha, flavored whipped cream, anko (red beans), and shirotama (sweet, ball-shaped mochi), and flavored gelatin.
It was delicious, albeit sakura flavored.
I'll forgive them this time, though.
I would argue, however, that ume are just as, if not more, delightful than sakura.
Ume bloom in a variety of colors, from a sort of pearly white to pale pink to a deep fuchsia. They also bloom as early as late February and truly seem to herald the beginning of spring, and if sakura are "cute" ume are "elegant." Hana-mi (lit. "flower viewing") is just as pleasant for ume as it is for sakura, with the added benefit of fewer crowds.
With these delights in mind I met up with my friend Kat for an afternoon of flower viewing and other traditional Japanese cultural delights. We elected to meet at Yushima Tenman-gu, a Shinto shrine near the Hongo campus of Tokyo University that is famous for its plum blossoms.
True to form for Japanese festivals, Kat showed up in an incredibly elegant kimono.
Then we simply wandered about the shrine grounds, enjoying the warm, sunny weather and admiring the plum blossoms:
 |
| I did not wear a kimono... |
After wandering about, admiring the flowers, and perhaps munching on some street food (like fried chicken and some weird sugar-caramel disc) we escaped the crowds at Wagashi Kurogi, a nearby shop that specializes in Japanese sweets.
 |
| Here's the guy melting and then making these pancake-shaped brown-sugar discs. |
One of Wagshi Kurogi's unique offerings is their monthly kakigori (shaved ice). A mound of fluffy shaved ice is topped with macha, flavored whipped cream, anko (red beans), and shirotama (sweet, ball-shaped mochi), and flavored gelatin.
It was delicious, albeit sakura flavored.
I'll forgive them this time, though.
Comments
Post a Comment