Where Pink Petals Go

Where art thy vim and vigor, Mrs. Bear? She's not, as they say in Japan, genki. I saw her in Uda last week.

It's been very warm for March, leading to some early blossoming.



I'm wondering if I should make a trip down to Yoshino, where there's a magnificent valley of cherry trees. Last time I went in March, it was too early and I saw just cobwebs of skinny grey branches. But this year maybe it's different. The train was full of elderly people in hiking attire coming from the south, the direction of Yoshino, yesterday. I guess there's no harm in waiting a little longer.