Yozakura: Night Cherry Blossoms

 Harue is one of my fonts of Japanese knowledge. I always learn something fascinating when we get together. And just last week, Harue and I went to Tenshochi Park before our joshikai with Chisa. It was our last one in Kitakami because Chisa has recently moved to Morioka City for her new job! She's been making trips between Morioka and Kitakami for our Ladies' Nights but her move means we'll start meeting in Morioka in the future.

While Harue and I waited for Chisa to arrive, we drove to Tenshochi to kill some time. It was early evening and the sun was beginning to go down. The paper lanterns and tree lights were on and glowing softly in the fading orange light. Even at this time of day, it's popular to walk Tenshochi's tree-lined lane and admire the blossoms in, shall we say, "a new light."

The Japanese even have a word for this very occasion: yozakura. "Yo" is written with the character for evening, and "zakura" refers to the sakura blossoms (it's  placement in the word changes the "s" to a "z"). It literally means "evening sakura." And it's beautiful!