Here are some shots of the trees by the river. This park is apparently a major spot for viewing cherry blossoms on regular days and during whatever cherry blossom festival the city has, and I guess other festivals, too. I'm told that people will camp out here the night before (or chief officers will send their underlings) to hold their group's spot for the next day's festivities. Jeez.
In the park is this kind of hideous statue, which is a memorial to the major eruption of Mt. Sakurajima in 1914, where a rare lava eruption occurred after some wicked earthquakes, and the lava kept flowing for months. Eventually it connected the island the volcano is on to the Kyushu mainland, swallowing up some smaller islands in the process. Don't worry, though. Although the volcano erupts almost daily, it's just ash. I'm safe.
Cherry blossoms much?
A kind English-speaking Japanese woman stopped us while I was taking Louise's picture and asked, "Shall I take your picture together?" Louise is the other dorm teacher, who is also new. She's from Gold Coast, Australia, one of the cities I considered going to grad school in.
Across the river you can get a good view, too. The picture on the right shows a museum that I'll probably end up going to.
Here are some cherry blossoms right outside my dorm room.
And there are a few blossoming trees in front of the school.
Down in the suburb of Toso, from my window, you can see the one lonely tree.
The cherry blossom season is a fleeting one, which is why the people love it so much. There have been heavy winds and rain over the past few weeks, so they'll be gone soon. Until next year.
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