Hanami （花見） （はなみ）

[Psycho_McCrazy]

Hanami literally means viewing flowers in Japanese (Hana - Flower, Mi - to see)

What Hanami actually implies is the viewing of the blossoming of the sakura (さくら) (cherry blossom) flower. The blossoming of the sakura flower is symbolic of the coming of spring.

more info here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanami)

In Hamamatsu, the sakura trees are laden with flowers right now. There are only flowers on the trees, and not a single leaf.

I went to the Hamamatsu Castle today, hanging on to my F5 and my DMC-FZ50 to enjoy the scenery and take some snaps. While the F5 snaps await the finishing of the 36 exposure roll, the DMC-FZ50 snaps are here for display.

The path to the Hamamatsu Castle Park
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/3410554199_364f7af636_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/psychomccrazy/3410554199/)

The teeny tiny Hamamatsu Castle
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3414/3410552103_16efde6369_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/psychomccrazy/3410552103/)

A climbing path with a roof of sakura
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3641/3411364884_c1279714dc_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/psychomccrazy/3411364884/)

Statue of an old emperor/samuari surrounded by sakura
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/3410553743_3399aec718_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/psychomccrazy/3410553743/)

Another view of the samurai from a different angle
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/3410550981_6f120d8643_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/psychomccrazy/3410550981/)

A closeup of the Sakura flower bunch
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3321/3410552773_16ed66274f_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/psychomccrazy/3410552773/)

There are a few more of these at my flickr photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/psychomccrazy/)

I am also eagerly waiting to finish off the film roll inside the F5 and then get it developed and scanned. Its basic ISO100 print film, but I am hoping for some GOOD results from the 20mm and 50mm primes. Unfortunately, it is too dreary and cloudy outside to shoot anymore today.

PS @ mods: if the image sizes are too large let me know I will edit the post with images of smaller dimensions.

[KrishnenduKes]

Topic Approved

Some very crispy Hanami there! Most of the Katakana, ( I assume that is katakana) is illegible. Thanks for sharing. Will be eagerly waiting for your scanned 100ASA results.

[Aryan]

Nice pictures there Psycho, and I checked out the rest of the pictures at your Flickr photostream too. :) Good work!

[Psycho_McCrazy]

thanks @ Ken da and Aryan

PS. the title of the post contains Kanji and Hiragana (two of the four types of characters used in the Japanese Language: Kanji: Pictographical script; Hiragana: Phonetic script for native Japanese language words; Katakana: Phonetic script for all import & foreign words words(sounds are same as hiragana); Romaji: Japanese written using Roman script). They will appear when used with a computer that has support for Japanese installed.

[Aryan]

@Psycho: My PC is able to display the Japanese font correctly. :)

[KrishnenduKes]

PS. the title of the post contains Kanji and Hiragana (two of the four types of characters used in the Japanese Language: Kanji: Pictographical script; Hiragana: Phonetic script for native Japanese language words; Katakana: Phonetic script for all import & foreign words words(sounds are same as hiragana); Romaji: Japanese written using Roman script). They will appear when used with a computer that has support for Japanese installed.

Thanks for the detailling.

Are you through with your first roll?

@Psycho: My PC is able to display the Japanese font correctly. :)

You into Jap as well?

[Psycho_McCrazy]

not yet. the work week intervened... the weekend is coming though!!!!

[KrishnenduKes]

not yet. the work week intervened... the weekend is coming though!!!!

So we can expect some fireworks pretty soon.

Oh! And btw my PC has suddenly started reading the Kanji since this evening!

[archistar]

very beautiful photographs there psycho...

[Psycho_McCrazy]

thanks bro!

EDIT:
@kenda: 35 km of bicycling today, lugging around two cameras, and I did not find a single decent place to shoot a few.... took all the wrong ways!!!! maybe tomorrow is a better day!!!!