Things I didn't do early on: hunt cherry blossoms!

Of course from the very first year I was in Japan, I enjoyed the pleasure of "hanami", picnicking under the cherry blossoms. I also went to "sakura matsuri", cherry blossom festivals, from the get-go. But it was only when I moved to Saitama, about six years after I first came to Japan, that I started to actively "hunt" cherry blossoms. 

What's the difference, you might ask. Well, hanami and sakura matsuri are easy! You just go along to the location and enjoy the cherry blossoms! But when you "sakuragari", hunt cherry blossoms, it involves chasing the bloom wave to see as many cherry blossoms in prime condition as possible. 

As I have my own website about Saitama Prefecture, since shortly after moving to Saitama Prefecture, I have been chasing the cherry blossoms every year for years. As I wrote on City-cost before, there are 10 weeks of cherry blossoms in Saitama Prefecture. Its a beautiful time of the year, but it is exhausting chasing them for ten weeks! Do you hunt cherry blossoms or just enjoy them at hanami or a sakura matsuri?