After leaving the afternoon "cherry-blossom-viewing" (actually, more like "chess-playing and butt-freezing") party in Hiroshima city centre...
@hirohurl/first-chilly-cherry-blossom-viewing-and-chess-party-of-2025
... I hopped onto a tram all the way to the main station.
The station was cram packed with hordes of foreign tourists and Hiroshima Carp baseball fans but I wove my way through the crowds to emerge on the other side where the pleasantly empty side streets led me back to Kokuzenji - the Zen Buddhist temple who's residing matriarch hosted a karaoke party back in December:
@hirohurl/karaoke-party-at-kokuzenji-temple-hiroshima
On this occasion, I joined an evening party that was hosted to enjoy the cherry trees that were in blossom by the main gate of the temple. Whereas I hardly glanced at the cherry trees during the afternoon party, I made a special effort to look at and photograph the cherry blossom before joining the rest of the party for beer and several bowls of very welcome "oden" = おでん = 御田, (a type of Japanese one-pot dish = "nabemono" = 鍋物 = "stewpot things") i.e. stewed bits and pieces served hot in a light broth with mustard.
Photos
- Japanese prayer boards ("ema" = 絵馬) hung up on a prayer board rack ("emagake" = 絵馬掛け) and cherry blossom by the temple gate.
- The outer approach to the temple gate, with cherry blossom.
- Looking back at the temple gate and cherry blossom from within the grounds.
- Another look back at the temple gate etc.
- Happy dragon (beer) and weeping cherry (tree).
Cheers!
David Hurley
#InspiredFocus