Hanuman, You would be making the right decision imho, but since you probably won't please take notes about Seoul as Mrs HT and I are planning some time there this Nov and would like to hear more about Korea from an unbiased point of view. All that we have heard and read(except from rhkkmk)about Seoul and S Korea sounds fascinating to me. I just saw on the Japan news tonight that the cb's are also blossoming in Seoul too although the significance and sheer abundance is not present there.

Aloha!

HT - you've got the wrong person! I'm like Kuranosuke - more casinos than palaces except for only when the palace has a casino. Only going there because my daughter and children of our friends are mad with crazy teen fascination on anything to do with Korea. Should take them to the DMZ and show them where their grandfather fought!

Will take note but please don't expect much. We have plans for Japan before June this year as well!

Hanuman, don't get me wrong either. I am Kuranosukes twin brother except I don't get all the vacation time off that he does,lol. Enjoy your time in Seoul!

Aloha!

"i don't get all the vacation time off that he does", ht last time i checked, i'm sitting here in my condo just off keeaumoku street in honolulu, reading your great hanami report, and turning uh green with envy. lol

hanuman, if you can plan your trip to tokyo to early july, we can go have excellent sushi and sake.

ken, we were at Ueno and Shinjuku Gyoen yesterday and both were in peak bloom, kirei! I have never seen so many people in S Gyoen, literally tens of thousands. We leave for home on tonight's flight so am out the door to do last minute shopping and sightseeing. Hope I can make it to Ginza and the Yoshinogawa ;)

Aloha!

I hope this link works as I am still trying to figure out how it works. Some of the 600+ pictures we took on this trip. iI will figure this out sooner than later and post the rest one day,lol

http://hawaiiantraveler.smugmug.com/...28929183_XFxEW

Aloha!

fantastic pics....another perfect trip to J completed....

pics are very clear and flowers are fabulous... linda also looks fabulous as usual

WOW WOW WOW! The pic of Linda's face being framed by the sakura is priceless.

Great photos - thanks for sharing!

Great clear photos! Are you posting your trip report?

Beautiful pictures HT!

Just got back from Seoul and it was freezing.... -2C at night and around 10C during the day. No cherry blossoms in sight as it was too cold still.

Ken,

It looks like our plan have now, or for now, change to Mongolia. Who knows by the time it's June or July it might change back to Japan again.

Did you win in Vegas? I lost! :-(

HT fabulous pix..Must get Bob more motivated to Japan...esp in cherry blossum time.

ht great pics. mahalo for the oden and the yaki onigiri pics too. looks real ono. btw, working on location for sat. nite.

hanuman, just got back today, with a little extra in my pocket. also won a few bucks picking duke over wva.

Thanks all, I have lots more and will post later.

of course ken is right it is oden not ozoni,lol

kmkrnn, yes karen, will try to convince bob when we see you in oct. japan is not expensive!!!!!! its not bkk but it can be done on a budget very nicely. timing is important. i would pay to see bob at an onsen(did that sound perverted) :)

I will keep updating the picture site in the next few or several days and am thinking of just doing a pictorial trip report on this one but might do an Osaka short because of all the things we did and ate and shopped at there. Osaka is fabulous and we found a few treasures we'd like to share. So many museums. who would have thought. Hope the late penalties won't be too harsh but maybe the judge is too busy at another poker tourney to notice,lol

Aloha!

HT,

Apart from the beautiful Cherry Blossoms I am very much interested in the eating part and I see that you've already uploaded some food photos already. Please do upload more!

Lovely, lovely photos of the cherry blossoms and all those celebrating them -- thanks.

I am intrigued by your statement that Japan is not expensive because I would love to spend more time there but on my one trip to Japan found Tokyo/Kyoto prohibitively expensive compared to other Asian locales. We haven't been back but maybe I'll pick up some tips here.

marya, Japan can be done at a reasonable price using the local two and three star locations which are small but very clean and most always include internet and a continental breakfast. There are also a network of places that are easier on your pocketbooks other than staying in the 5 star hotels. If you get out of the main Tokyo-Kyoto-Hakone tourist path things also become cheaper. In Tokyo and Kyoto especially we usually use my Hyatt or SPG points where possible to ease the budget hit and still stay in nice places. Some of the budget hotel sites to check:

http://www.toyoko-inn.com/eng/

http://www.sunroute.jp/SunrouteTopHLE.html

http://www.tokyuhotelsjapan.com/en/index.html

http://www.kid97.co.jp/~jeh-group/jeh-group.html

http://www.j-hotel.or.jp/en/index.html

You can also travel long distances utilizing the JR Rail Passes which you already probably know about.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361.html

Costs of eating is the same as here in the US. If you go to a five star place for Kobe steak expect to pay $160.00 per person or more. If you go to a local Japanese diner you will get great food for 15.00 or less per person.

Aloha!

Mara, when do you leave for your trip to do the walk from Magome to Tsumago?

emd - read your three recent posts....I see you have the Japan urge again....I'm going next week. What about you? Do you still have your same email?

Yes, Mara, same email. Email me- I want to be able to track your walk as you go across Japan...