Good morning from #Ritsurin garden in Takamatsu, where the #ume (Japanese flowering apricot/plum) season is getting under way. I love ume, the first blossom of the season — and have one at home as well. Happily, jet lag has me at this glorious garden long before any crowds today! - ThreadSky

thatjohn.bsky.social • 4 days ago

Good morning from #Ritsurin garden in Takamatsu, where the #ume (Japanese flowering apricot/plum) season is getting under way. I love ume, the first blossom of the season — and have one at home as well.

Happily, jet lag has me at this glorious garden long before any crowds today!

Comments

citizentowel.bsky.social•4 days ago

Such a gem the Ritsurin Gardens are, especially that awesome train line to get there from Takamatsu station. I had the pleasure of visiting Ritsurin during August's heat wave, and while it was gorgeous and awesomely hot, I'd wondered how pretty spring would be there

peteswandering.bsky.social•4 days ago

One of, if not the top of, my favourite gardens in Japan

thatjohn.bsky.social•4 days ago

Ritsurin is also home to the prefectural apricot sample tree, which is some way behind several others — so the season hasn’t *officially* started yet, I’m told.

Won’t stop me enjoying the other ume in the two separate ume orchards! #JohnDoesJapan

thatjohn.bsky.social•4 days ago

The cheeriness of the bright ume against a blue sky is one of my favourite parts of early spring, and they last a happily long time.

If you have a garden, I highly recommend planting one!

brainchain.bsky.social•4 days ago

They are absolutely STUNNING, John! Thank you for sharing these photos.

thatjohn.bsky.social•4 days ago

Aw, my pleasure! It’s such a joy to be here!

brainchain.bsky.social•4 days ago

I hope you will have an awesome rest of your visit!

thatjohn.bsky.social•4 days ago

Good morning from me and this heckin’ chonk of a koi.

thatjohn.bsky.social•4 days ago

I love the variety of ume blossoms — some are deep magenta, some what one might call Barbara Cartland Pink, some so pale as to be almost white. #JohnDoesJapan

thatjohn.bsky.social•4 days ago

To get out to Ritsurin, you can take the JR line or the adorable Kotoden, a local railroad that trundles through the centre of Takamatsu.

It’s both wonderfully nostalgic (though note the walk-through cars!) and very efficient — pay with your IC transit card even on this little line.

thatjohn.bsky.social•4 days ago

On the Kotoden, as elsewhere in Japan, always ride behind the driver — the views are brilliant.

bryanuf.bsky.social•4 days ago

Your travels to Japan are a welcome respite for me and the socials. Thanks for sharing and hope you continue to have a wonderful trip!

hgeeky.bsky.social•3 days ago

Gorgeous!

heidi8.bsky.social•4 days ago

Love the pink!!

teawhynot.bsky.social•4 days ago

I've always loved the plum blossom far more than the cherry blossom (which they call "butt goat" in Korean). Could be partly why I ended up in Taiwan rather than Japan. Must try to update my profile pic to reflect this!

kateviolette.com•4 days ago

oh my goodness this is gorgeous 😍

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