Spring in Japan is Awesome

Stereotypically, Americans use the word awesome far to much. In this case however it is not an exageration of the truth. Spring here is just full of bliss, mirth, rainbows, fuzzy kittens, couples in love, gregarious encounters and everything else that is right with the world.

Upon arriving in Japan the locals would come to me and during conversation would comment on how Japan has four different seasons. Being the smart aleck I am, I would usually just grin and think to myself 'duh' as most of the world seems to fall in that broad four season category. What I realized much later was that its not Japan's four seasons people were commenting on so much as the stark differences between them.

Growing up on the plains of West Texas I felt faily comfortable with being able to appreciate the progress of one season to another. If you can walk on mud and not even make a dent in it you know it's winter. Spring comes and the sky is less cloudy than before and its transitions gradually into summer. Fall is fall, everywhere around the would as leaves dropping from trees cant be mistaken as anything else and then before you know it you're walking on rock hard mud again.

Since I began living in Japan, my definition of seasons have changed drastically. For me it's no longer just how the vegetation and nature change around me due to weather and temperature change, but more so how much I look forward to or dread the upcoming 'season'.

Winter was cold, REALLY cold. Sure I've lived and been in colder places, but when the spring is so sweet, it feels like that carrot on the end of the stick you just cant reach. Then, during the bitching and moaning you realize its here...and you're happy. Ecstatic even....and then you're already dreading the summer....because its hot, humid, everyone is sweating, there's never enough A/C and all you can think is 'come on autumn'.

This is what I think people mean when they say to me......'Yes, Japan has four seasons' Because what they're really saying is.....you better enjoy the seasons you like brother, because they'll be gone before can think to appreciate them.