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Konnichi wa!
Spring has come to Kyoto,
Japan and that means Cherry Blossoms! The Cherry blossoms are by far
the most beloved flower here in Japan. They typically bloom around
the first part of April and will last for only about 2 weeks or so.
The flowers come in various shades of white and pink and are usually
very small.
It is custom to have a
picnic under the Cherry trees with friends or company colleagues. At
these picnics or "Hanami" as they are called in Japanese, people eat
rice balls and drink a lot of sake and beer. They eat and drink so
much that there is a famous saying in Japanese, "Hana Yori Dango". "Hana"
means flower, "Yori" means more than or rather than, and "Dango" is
pounded rice in the shape of a small ball, usually skewered on a long
toothpick and eaten with a sweet sauce made of soy sauce and sugar.
Roughly translated then , "Hana Yori Dango" means "looking at the
pretty Cherry blossoms is fun, but I would rather eat and drink!"
We have taken some pictures
of the 2005 Cherry Blossoms here in Kyoto, Japan. Please take a
look! We also have some great bargains going on right now in The
Tatami Room. So our question of the day is, "Hana Yori Dango"?
Ookinii! (Oh - key - knee)
Kyoto dialect for "Thank You"
The Tatami Room
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