Benten-gata - A new favorit - Sakura Diaries 👹🍣🎎 Wonderful Japan

You don't really need a special occasion to get out and explore your surroundings. The time of year is not necessarily decisive either, because our world is interesting and attractive all year round and there is always so much worth discovering everywhere. But of course there are times when our world seems even more magical and inviting than it already is.

One of these times is the cherry blossom season, which can be a real spectacle, especially in Japan, the land of the rising sun. Young and old alike are drawn out into nature, into the gardens and parks, where they quickly fall under the spell of the unique beauty and magic that Mother Nature enchants us with during the Sakura season. It is a very special time and one of its key features is its fleeting nature. The Sakura magic doesn't last long, and shortly after the cherry trees have reached full bloom, the first petals fall to the ground, creating the bitter-sweet melancholy mood that I think is so characteristic of these days.

And just because this magical time is so short, everyone wants to enjoy and experience it all the more. I am no exception, I am also on the lookout for Queen Sakura every year again and I consider myself lucky to have already met her in so many wonderful places and in so many beautiful dresses.

And every year I try to dance with her in places where we have not yet met. Luckily, for that I don't have to travel far, even in my own immediate neighborhood I always find places where we haven't yet had a rendezvous. I had already discovered some of these places on further trips and outings and I noted them on my long list of Sakura spots so that I would go there again during the cherry blossom season. It was almost always worth it, because aside the beauty of the blooming cherry trees I got to know and appreciate the region I was currently staying in even more.

On the way back from one of our trips, we ended up at a park next to a small pond. From the main road, I had already seen a few cherry trees shining in the distance, so I had decided that we absolutely had to stop here at the very end of the day. The small pond was actually a freshwater lagoon and a remnant of the time when the Niigata region was still dotted with rivers, lakes and swamps. In some places you can still find these lakes and ponds called gata, and Bentengata is one of them.

We arrived at the park as the sun was already setting and the warm and mild light was perfect for a short walk. From the water's edge, where we stood first, we could clearly see the beautifully blossoming cherry trees on the other side, which already made a truly majestic impression from here.

That's exactly where we wanted to go to soak up a little more of the special magic that Queen Sakura is enchanting us with these days.

In some places there were also these typical lanterns, the bonbori, which are an integral part of a proper Japanese festival and seem to be so important for the atmosphere and flair. In later hours, they would also light up, adding their very own touches.

But the light provided by the approaching sunset was sufficient and managed to make the cherry trees on the other side glow. A week ago the trees were bare and now they are full of myriads of small pink and white blossoms that no one will ever be able to count.

But you don't have to count them, it's enough to enjoy and admire this splendor around you. It is pictures like this one that enchant and inspire me the most and make me immediately reach for my camera to capture this wonderful sight to keep it forever.

And of course I also have to get nearer and look closely. I like to take my time and try to save the moment for myself. This canopy of flowers above us is too beautiful to hurry past quickly.

But the view over the water is just as great as the view into the park. What's more, there's always something calming about looking at the water, and when you add the sight of the cherry trees hanging over the lake, it's easy to start daydreaming.

However, daydreaming is also explicitly encouraged here and it is always a good idea to pause for a moment and close your eyes. The splendor that opens up before you in these special days that pass far too quickly is something you want to grasp and hold on to forever, as you know that it will soon leave you again.

And that's why I look at this splendor from all angles, and even take a few steps back to take another look. Here in Bentengata Park you can even spot some fresh greenery, which after the long winter is just as welcome as the cherry blossoms.

And I keep stopping and looking around on the way back as well. I let my gaze wander over the small lagoon, once again over to the cherry trees under which we have just been walking. I can't neither avoid nor conceal this warm feeling of melancholy I mentioned at the beginning, but I also know that it is an inevitable part of the magic of these days. Even the cherry blossoms don't last forever and move on far too quickly to other regions where people are already waiting for them. Fortunately, we can take comfort in the knowledge that the Cherry Blossom Queen will grace us with her presence again in a year's time at the latest and that we will come out and celebrate her just as we did this year.

And after all, I already know where I can meet her and with Bentengata we have found a new place where we can dance together. My memories are still very fresh and I can easily transport myself back to the place where I have given in to her once again. Fortunately, I know that even if the cherry blossom will soon be making a guest appearance in other regions further north, this park will always be worth a visit. And I am very happy to have found this oasis of peace for us....