Sunday, August 14, 2016

Spring in Japan: Hanami at Maruyama Park

Still Day 3.

We checked in at Guesthouse Rakuza and was led to our twin japanese style room.  After settling in, we headed out to buy some souvenirs because my mom was going home the next day. We ended up at H&M. Lol! We looked for a place to eat after. Another chicken and rice combo for my mom and I tried the Japanese steak and ordered beer with it. Our meal came with a free popcorn and I guess it was one of those sports bar because the TV was showing a baseball game.































































We walked to Maruyama park after, just behind Yasaka Shrine. It's a popular choice for hanami (literally:flower viewing). Japanese love to go on a picnic under these pretty trees. At the park, there were several restaurants that serves food to customers seating underneath the sakura trees which was a lovely lovely scene especially at night. Seeing merry groups of families and friends enjoying food underneath the beautiful pink sakura trees made me want to join in the fun. So we chose a spot and an ojisan approached us and asked what we'd like to order. He also explained that there is a table charge. You gotta remember that we just literally had dinner before coming here, but since I really wanted to try this Japanese custom, even if the table charge was more expensive than what we ordered. I think it was 1,000 yen for the table charge, if I remember right, and the yakitori and soda only costs around 500 yen. Lol. We really just came for the experience. Haha!








































































We also checked out the big and old Sakura tree at the middle of Maruyama park which was illuminated at night. The sight was so majestically beautiful! This is the second generation tree which was one of the 3 seedlings taken from the original tree that survived.  This tree was replanted in its current site in 1949, after the first tree died in 1947 after living for nearly 200 years. Sugoi!



























After taking photos, we went home and my mom prepared her stuff for her flight the next day. I rented a yukata for 200 yen and used it around the room and took photos. Hehe.







































And with this, I bid you goodnight. Oyasumi! ;-)

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