I’ll confess that I have a personal bias for plum blossoms over sakura. Sure, they aren’t as majestic as the shidare-zakura (枝垂桜), but I love how vividly pink they are and how they smell. I’m most familiar with Kanazawa’s plum groves (where they bloom in March), but whether you’re in Tokyo or just love photos of plum blossoms, check out Rurousha’s post on the best places in the city to see them:
Image copyright Rurousha.
Just be warned that plum blossoms are not remotely as spectacular as cherry blossoms. A single tree doesn’t have as many blossoms, the trees don’t bloom en masse at the same time, it’s usually freezing cold with a depressing grey sky in February. The blossoms do have a lovely fragrance, and if you focus on close-ups, you’ll see their beauty.
What can I do with a B.A. in Japanese Studies? 