Cherry blossoms are gone, but spring has only begun. This past weekend, we drove to Tachikawa to see the Flowers Festival (which really ought to be the Tulips Festival) at Showa Kinen Park. The park itself is quite expansive! It took us three hours to walk around the entire thing. Since we entered the opposite side of the tulips gardens, I thought we were being tricked. But after a long stroll, breaks for ice cream, a kebab sandwich picnic and playing in the pools, we finally reached the elusive Flower Festival. It was radiant! I didn’t realize how many types of tulips there were – we are especially curious about the questionable nomenclature of the “Uncle Tom” tulips. There were some that looked more like peonies and poppies – quite the chameleons of the flower world!