It started when my old Economics professor said, “I’m taking my EcoDev class to Tokyo this spring. Do you want to tag along?” The answer to an invitation like that is always “yes.” But when the date started crawling closer, I was trying to squirm out of the trip, moved to do so by a long list of excuses. My professor was the type who marked words though, so my “yes” remained. The plane ticket was booked, hotel reservations were made, the visa was approved (barely made it!), and sooner than I could pack, it was time to meet and greet those famed cherry blossoms.
It was raining all day, but it was a polite kind of rain. Walking on our way to Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Second train from the airport was good as empty, maybe because we took a red eye flight.
Bikes dot the Asakusa streets.
They say spring is the best season to travel to a place like Japan. Surely my summer trip there was hardly ideal thanks to the stifling heat and humidity. Spring weather had sunny mornings that transitioned to cold afternoons and evenings. But the day could turn frigid when it rains. I still like autumn the most, though. I like that it’s dependably cold all hours of the day. You’re sure you’ll need that heavy coat and that you’re never going to sweat under your thermals.
But spring wins with its aesthetic; there is nothing quite like it. Bright, colorful flowers, towering, green trees, and of course, the white-pink sakura blooms–all these line the streets and fill the parks. Life and nature everywhere you turn. It’s a breathtaking sight, not at all anything I could get over with.
With our guide, explaining the history of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
First meal, at a Lotteria just outside of Ueno Station. Steaming soup and piping hot coffee were perfect on a cold rainy spring day.
Pandas and lions and turtles at Lotteria, Ueno Station. Too cute to eat.
All photos belong to me.
