Thought I Missed the Cherry Blossoms… Turns Out, I’m the Lucky One

Honestly, I came to Japan thinking I was too early for cherry blossoms. I was already mentally preparing myself to just enjoy Mount Fuji and eat a lot of ramen. But turns out… I got lucky. The sakura were just starting to bloom — slowly, like they were still waking up from winter. That second photo? It was one of the first trees I saw with tiny pink petals starting to pop, and from there, it just kept getting better. One of my favourite spots was Ao Terrace. If you ever go, here’s a quick tip: head there early in the morning before the crowd shows up, and stand right in front of the pool. That’s how you get the perfect reflection of Mount Fuji on the water — it seriously looks unreal. Between catching the sakura and that view of Fuji, it felt like the trip just kept surprising me in the best way. #cherryblossom25