10 April 2005

Last Updated:10/04/05

 

A lovely sunny, sakura-filled day.  The parade was pretty much the same as last year, but we found a better place to sit.  The cherry blossom was absolutely beautiful, and we took loads of photos as the marching bands and samurai passed us by.

 

Afterwards, Mary, Flick, Tom and I made our way to the banks of the Asuwa (propelled along by the masses), found a free plot, and sat supping Asahi and Chu-hi.  Before long, we were absorbed into a Japanese hanami (flower-viewing) party, and so the day degenerated into drunken ramblings!  (It was great fun, though!!!)  

 


 

 
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Twirling flags at the beginning of the parade

Very Japanese, ne?!

 

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Feel a bit sorry for the guys pulling the cart!

Japanese gaijin

 

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A close-up of the "gaijin"

A bloke on a horse

 

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Another bloke on a horse

Think these might be preists...

 

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A little girl in a palanquin

Female foot-soldiers

 

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An important bloke (on a horse)

The end of the parade (looking west along Sakura dori)

 

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The obligatory photo of the sakura

Along the Asuwa

 

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Awww!  What's up, Flick?!

At the party we gate-crashed...

 

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Mary, with a random dude...

All of us together

(that's definitely not a can of beer in my hand...)

 

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Ruan comes to check out the fun

Hehehe

 

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Flick with her new boyfriend

(sorry Lewis, guess you arrived too late ;) )

Gah!
('nuff said, really)

 

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