Havens Family Adventures (formerly Adventures in Japan): Yokosuka Cherry Blossoms 2017

First blossom spotted March 31

The last of the beautiful blossoms have fallen to the ground in our part of Japan. Since this is our last season for this tour I tried to make the most of the viewing season. The tricky part...finding new places to go since we've viewed so many of the most beautiful places around here.

Mikasa Park ~ April 4

I think we've visited this park for sakura for the last three years. The first year we were right in the middle of the best of the season. Last year we were a little past peak bloom. This year...too early. Oh well. It's always a guessing game when choosing a viewing spot around here.

Would you like to know what happens when we've spent a good chunk of the winter hiding in our house? When spring comes and I start telling the kids we are heading out for walks or hikes or exploring, the kids fall to pieces! Which is why Mackenzie's hair is a disaster and her clothes don't match, and Garytt has toothpaste on his face and is wearing mud-stained pants (MOOOOMMMMMM, I don't want to wear fancy pants!!!!)....because I just didn't have the strength to tell them to look presentable. So, Yokosuka...enjoy!

The trees here were only at about 50% bloomed. It wasn't very pretty, unless you zoomed in on the flowers that had bloomed. Instead of a million pictures under the trees, the kids ran to the park to play for a while and then we made our way to the pond to watch the water show.

The Boy is obsessed with my camera. He ran around taking pictures for me. :) It was a beautiful day. This is the time of year where we either get completely gray, cloudy skies or crystal clear blue overhead. This day we had an amazing blue sky. And, at the end of the day we all had pink cheeks because I forgot that we have been hermits for the last couple months, so the sun was a bit much for us.

Kosano Park ~ April 10

At this point, ten days after I spotted the first blossom by our house, the trees on base were at full bloom! Well, for the most part. This year seemed to be a bit weird in the timing of each tree. It seemed like God said, "You can bloom, you can bloom, you can bloom, skip you and you, you can bloom, you can bloom..." For instance, in our parking lot, which is lined with sakura trees on every side...along the road there was one tree that had bloomed, dropped its petals and was already about 25% covered with green leaves while most of the other trees were about 75% bloomed and two or three were about 25%. It was strange.

April 12th....this was just a random shot I took as we were walking to ballet.

This is at Kosano Park on the 12th as we were walking home from ballet.

Kenzie and her bestie, Emily.

I got a lot of walking in on the 12th :) These were taken in Yokohama as Kris and I were on our way to meet friends for drinks.

NAVFAC Parking lot ~ April 15th

(Hey, we take blossoms wherever we can see them! :)

Just like many other sakura seasons it has rained quite a bit. And, the wind likes to pick up this time of year too. So, when a front came through on a weekend I was hoping to get out and hike, I decided to just have the kids run across the street between bands of rain instead.

Holding a camera, camera bag, purse, and an umbrella all at the same time took some talent! But, the wet rain made the trees and ground shiny and pretty.