Plum Blossoms!

Spring is here! The first blossoms of spring have inspired many painters, like this one by 19th century Japanese woodblock print artist Ando Hiroshige:And this famous copy painted by Vincent Van Gogh:

Today Lori and I went to Dazaifu, which according to Japan.com has over 6000 plum trees and is the only spot highlighted for plum blossom viewing outside of Tokyo or Kyoto. Just half an hour on the train, and we were surrounded by hundreds of plum blossom seekers on their way to the shrine and the famous pink and white flowers.  Below are my favorite images of a beautiful day: