Sakura Festival and Spring

In the early spring of 1991, I was in Japan stationed at Misawa Air Force base. I was a Navy electronics technician that worked on equipment in the classified spaces. But the best part of being stationed in Japan was the festivals.

Every spring they had the Cherry Blossom festival, where everyone would dress up, drink sake, and sit under the blossoms on the grounds of the Hirosaki castle. I took the picture of this young couple as they drank tea under the blossoms. It seemed to epitomize the festival of quiet contemplation and gratitude.

One of the older women in full dress posed for me at this same festival:

The colors have faded from this picture, but when I took it the dress was the same pink as the Sakura cherry trees.

My friends and I were also stopped for pictures. I was the tall blonde. My friends were a curvy redhead and a slim brunette. We were exotic enought that several of the younger people there wanted pictures with us. It was as close to be a celebrity as a normal person could be.

I read somewhere that Japan sent Sakura cherry tree to Washington, DC. and that in the spring you can walk among the blossoms.

I was only in Japan for two years and I went to this festival twice. Still I miss the trees, the blossoms, and the feeling that winter was gone.