Today is 26 Dec Mon.
I know they do in Tokyo. I wasn't there during X'mas so I didn't personally experience it. But away from the city, it seems they don't celebrate or decorate their trees etc...
As if there isn't any X'mas. Looks the same as always. No lights around the trees or decorations.
Click to enlarge.
This is Fukushima Station from a live cam @ 2.21pm Japan time (1.21pm SG time).
I was there in 2009.
At that sheltered area, I waited for the bus shuttle that would take me to Hanami Hill. Odd that now this place has no buses coming in. Did I recall the spot wrongly? Maybe it was the other side out of camera shot?
At first, I wasn't sure what was going on with the crowds of people there at the time. I just stepped out of my hotel. It was a fine early morning.
Singapore hotels require checkout by noon. But Japan hotels require checkout by 10am. So I had hurry to get up early to dry the laundry that didn't dry during the night. Well, early checkout gave me more time to explore, so that's fine. I got used to it as it went on.
I left my luggage at the hotel counter & will return to collect later. In this instance, I will be returning to the hotel for the luggage. Usually, I don't return to the hotel once I leave in the morning (at night will be a different hotel).
Elderly queuing up happily & excitedly in colorful clothing. Quite a busy scene. Plus there was some performance with drums outside the station.
Some people were giving out a colored (forgot what color) sheet of promotional paper. So I took a look at what it was. Oh, a trip to a hill. There were drawings so I roughly understood that it was a trip to a hill somewhere nearby.
Decided to check it out & joined them in waiting for the bus shuttle. The bus ride turned out to be quite a distance (not as nearby as I thought). The arrival was very worth it. Beautiful, beautiful hill that was crowded on the way up but with quiet spots once you climb.
A lovely big food fair was at the bottom of the hill. I ate some unforgettable & cheap homemade stuff there sold by the elderly ladies. Different types of Dango, salted cucumbers in plastic tubs etc... I think they were made by the residents from the houses there. I just queued up & pointed with a finger of how many I wanted. One of this & one of that? Didn't need to speak so they won't know I'm an alien.
After buying, I just sat around nearby & ate in the sunlight. I still have the wonderful photos that I took of the place & food. But I didn't post them here in case some asshole steals them for his/her own.
For much of my 2 weeks in Japan, it was very much based on impromptu decisions & coincidences. I only planned to go a few places following the cherry trees blossoming schedule. The rest was just random exploration when I reached a place.
After arrival at a place, I had time to check out other places & things before & after my main destination. A day at each place before moving on. I stayed in about 10 different hotels. All wonderful except for the first (Koiwa) & even so, it was ok.
5pm SG time (6pm Japan time): Oh! They do have a few lights on trees!
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