Archives for posts with tag: Sakura
We’ve had an unusually mild winter here in Seattle. I heard that some of the early blooming varieties of Sakura are already in bloom, at least on the University of Washington campus.
So, if you’re in the Seattle area or visiting Sakura season has already started. However, if you’re coming later in the spring there should still be some varieties blooming in different parts of the city.
By the way, most of the spring blossoms this year are blooming 3 – 5 weeks early. So if you’re planning on any of the flower festivals in Western Washington State this spring (possibly summer) you may want check with the festival and possibly change your plans to earlier than would be normal.
Sakuracon will be coming up soon, 18-20 April 2014.
Washington State Convention Center
800 Convention Pl
Seattle, WA 98101
http://www.sakuracon.org/
Health permitting (which is looking unlikely), Tierra will be there, probably Saturday morning around 9:45 am for 20-40 minutes to take photos for the blog. Say hi and get your photo taken. Amor is living in Austin, Texas and probably won’t be here.
If you attend and wish to write about it for Seattle Kifujin or share photos, etc. – we’d love to post them with credit and links.
For those of you visiting we wish to remind you that Traveler’s is close to the convention center (although you may need to take light rail or a bus) and has food for those with food allergies, vegetarians, vegans, etc. They have new hours: Wed-friday 4:30-9:00, Sat & Sun 12:00 noon till 9:00pm. They’re very supportive of Seattle Kifujin – so please support them.
TRAVELERS Thali House
2524 Beacon Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98144
206-329-6260
The trip to Travelers from the Convention Center by light rail will take 13 – 19 minutes depending on the day and time.
http://www.travelersthalihouse.com/
Information on taking rail or bus:
http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/hiwire?.a=iTripPlanning&.s=396dd6c5
Directions from Washington State Convention Center to Traveler’s Thali House via light rail: Walk to the first stop: Walk approx. 2 blocks SW on Pine St. Turn right on 5th Ave. Walk a short distance NW on 5th Ave. Turn left on Westlake Sta Acrd. Walk a short distance SW on Westlake Sta Acrd. LINK LIGHT RAIL TO SEA TAC At Stop: Westlake Station Bay C On LINK LIGHT RAIL TO SEA TAC At Stop: Beacon Hill Station Walk to your destination: Walk a short distance SW on Pedestrian Walk. Bear left on Pedestrian Stai. Walk a short distance SW on Pedestrian Stai. Turn right on Beacon Ave S. Walk approx. 1 block NW on Beacon Ave S. You can also catch the light rail in downtown Seattle and in the ID.
Directions via bus from downtown or ID: catch the number 36 bus heading south on 3rd Ave. downtown or on Jackson St. in the ID heading east before 12th Ave. or on 12th Ave. south of Jackson heading south. Stop at Beacon Ave S & S Bayview St
On your way to or from Travelers you will go through the International District. There may be places of interest there for you also, especially if you want manga from Japan don’t forget to check out:
Kinokuniya Bookstore
525 S Weller St
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 587-2477
Other places in the International District to check out:
Uwajimaya
600 5th Ave S #100
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone: (206) 624-6248
SeattleStore@uwajimaya.com
http://www.uwajimaya.com/
Daiso Japan
710 6th Avenue South
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 355-4084
or
Westlake Center
400 Pine St, Ste 1005
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 447-6211
Other places of interest:
Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington
1414 S Weller
(between S Rainier Ave & S 16th Ave)
Seattle, WA 98144
(206) 568-7114
http://www.jcccw.org/
Shiga Imports
4306 University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105
http://www.shigasimports.com/about.html
Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival April 25-27, 2014 at the Seattle Center – if you plan on staying the week.
http://seattlecenter.com/festal/detail.aspx?id=4
If you’re staying longer, please remember this is Seattle and bring clothing for the rain. The only time of year that you probably won’t run into rain here is mid-July to the first week of August.
If you’re staying the week, there are still sakura in parts of Seattle – so check them out, these are the last of the late-blooming cherry blossoms and not sure the varieties, even though most of the sakura have finished blooming in Seattle, there are still several places with the late-blooming – usually in people’s yards. Also, the flowering plum trees are in bloom, again mostly in peoples yards.
If you have access to a car and up for an excursion there tulips in bloom in the Skagit Valley about 60 miles north of Seattle (60-90 minutes depending on traffic) and there will be a large tulip festival going on.
Happy Spring/Oestara/Vernal Equinox/Alban Eiler/Mean Erraigh/Eostre!
Today I noticed that in Ballard close to the Swedish hospital complex, many streets have cherry trees in full blossom already.
I just heard from someone at the University of Washington Botanical Gardens. He told me that the early sakura in the Arboretum are blooming already. However, the sakura at the University campus at the quad are a different variety and won’t bloom until the end of March or early April.
Here are other sites for Hanami 花見 (cherry blossom viewing) in Seattle. The list is probably not comprehensive, and each site probably has different varieties so you’ll have to find out from them when their cherry trees will be in bloom – but probably somewhere in the next 2 months you’ll be able to find some cherry trees in bloom in Seattle.
If the cherry blossoms are in bloom you can check them out at:
The quad at the University of Washington
The Seattle Center
Jefferson Park, Seattle
Azalea Way at Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle
Seward Park and Lake Washington Boulevard, Seattle
many neighborhoods also have them planted
Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival April 25-27, 2014 at the Seattle Center
http://seattlecenter.com/festal/detail.aspx?id=4
seattlekifujin 