It has been almost a month since I have posted a photo and yet some of the photos I have captured recently hold some of the most memorable moments I have ever experienced. On March 11 the world here stopped. People lost things, people lost people, and posting photos was not a priority.
It has been almost a month and one I will always remember. I am safe, I am well cared for and I have resumed rehearsals for my show here, as we await the reopening of the Disney park. This month has been full of amazing moments, mostly of witnessing people helping each other, of watching a country do everything it can to heal its wound. Though so much destruction occurred, the japanese people are reaching out to each other to make sure everyone is ok. I feel more japanese than I ever have, having experienced this quake with them and lived to be part of the solution.
There is a bit of a division as to whether hanami should take place this year. Hanami is the celebration of sakura, the cherry blossoms that appear everywhere for about two weeks out of the year. Because hanami usually involves picnicing, eating, and often lots of drinking under the trees, some feel it is disrespectful, not appropriate at a time like this. My feeling is that sakura is a national symbol and something to be appreciated MOSTLY in a time like this spirits need lifting. The japanese soul lives in the sakura blossom. I did my best not to be flamboyantly celebratory, but just simply appreciate the incredible roof of blossoms above me. And as you can see many many others felt the same. Massive crowds for blossoms is a really special thing actually. I love that it is THAT important.
A brief ending note… I love doing these pages as a way to share japanese stories with those who are interested. Apologies for the long break, and I am actually going to go backwards and update several days I missed. It might be against the rules, but doing it anyway 🙂
SHASHIN PER DAY: Living Japan 