Hanami in Komoro

So yeah, not only I'm hanging out in Japan, have a job or two, I also have a friend who moved in my town and that I can see every week. And what a friend.
We don't speak the same language, but give us some coffee and no language barrier is going to hold us from speaking about men, hormones, society, our dislike for the luxury industry, periods and mood swings, money, future plans, childhood scars, rating potential boyfriends walking by, and laughing our heads of at the dressed dogs in pushchairs (yes, my town is FULL of tiny horrible dogs that are dressed up in pyjamas or rain gear, and then pushed in a pushchair - I am not joking).

With mountains like we have here and a friend like りかちゃん、fair-enough, life can be good.

We went to Komoro to see the blooming cheery tree (=Hanami), in Komoro, which also happens to be where I get almost-free-Japanese-lessons in a volunteer center. I used to teach English as a volunteer for newly arrived immigrants in the UK... Now I am on the other side of the table :)

Am I in Japan OR WHAT?

Hanami!!!

For Lottemshkou!

This is another one for anybody that believes vegan in japan is another way to say impossible... In a tiny traditional restaurant, I ate my own weight (sat on the floor, yeehee) of Anmitsu which is a vegan dessert (or meal, if you eat enough of it...) with fruits and a japanese type of jelly. It cost me a whole two pounds fifty, too (oh yeah, Japan is well expensive, hu huuuuu...).

The train to Komoro is the cutest train ever...

And the view from the cutest train ever is not without challenging the Southampton-London landscapes or some parts of the New Forest...