Last week I went to Aoyama Cemetery to view the hanami parties. Lone scouts sent ahead to locate the “right” location (very feng shui) sat smoking and bored until the others arrive. By 4pm on Friday most of the prime spaces were reserved, some with traffic cones and signs, others with chalk outlines, and one with a small sign held down by 4 cans of beer. Vendors sold (in addition to beer, beer, and sake) grilled hotdogs and octopus on a stick.

Now the cherry blossom petals are just beginning to fall.