Osaka-jou

So we were really lucky to see the gleaming white Osaka castle on a white and gleaming snow day in Osaka:


It was a national holiday and many Japanese people were spending moments of it appreciating nature such as at this pond on the grounds of Osaka-jou.




Me and my pal Keisuke!

Masato, Joslyn, and I digging the cold and the plum trees!

The plum trees were beautifully in bloom this time of year:


There was a lot of interest in the blossoms on this snowy day and many many people seemed to have a serious hobby of capturing photographs of them:

We were also very fortunate to catch some "early cherry blossoms." Such contrast between the harsh cold of the snow and the fragility of the young sakura is considered especially beautiful:



I wanted to include this picture to show how curious it is that this old castle is situated right in the heart of commercial Osaka. This is the view of it from inside a shopping mall. Perhaps even more amazing is the view of Osaka-jou from a train passing through the city at night where the castle appears, vanishes, and reappears between the buildings like some glowing phantom.

And here's just a picture of the park right outside the seminar house in the snow!