In a season of walking with eyes fixed upward. Unexpected encounters at our feet that we often overlook.

Every year, as the cherry blossoms approach full bloom, I go out in search of them every single day like a madwoman.

I have been doing this ever since I got my own car in my twenties.

After work, I head to famous spots on my way home to see the cherry blossoms at night. On my days off, I travel a bit further to parks to enjoy hanami with street food in one hand.

It feels as if I am being called by something.

Even when I was feeling unwell, I would take medicine just to go out for cherry blossom viewing, which left my family and colleagues completely stunned.

And that spring habit remains unchanged even now.

This year, since the official blooming announcement, despite the high temperatures every day, it has been raining so much that it has been hard to call these days ideal for cherry blossom viewing.

So, whenever I see a break in the clouds,

I ask, "Are you coming too, Mom?"

And we head out eagerly to see the cherry blossoms, either as a pair or by myself.

When we go together, sandwiches bought at a convenience store are our companion.

When I go alone, I pack tea in a thermos and browse the food stalls.

The day before a forecast of stormy weather, I went with my mother to a park famous for its cherry blossoms in the morning, intending it to be our final viewing for this year.

Everyone was thinking the same thing, and the park was packed with people who had gathered to catch one last glimpse of this year's cherry blossoms.

It felt like I went to see the people instead of the cherry blossoms😅
It was so bustling that I got a little tired (lol).

But my mother, on the contrary, likes it when cherry blossom viewing is lively, so she seemed very satisfied with the atmosphere. So, in that sense, I'm glad we went.

Still, I wanted to feel a bit more at ease, so I went out alone to a local park in the afternoon.
My companions, of course, were tea and a paperback book📚

That small park behind the public facility has about five cherry trees planted, and it's my favorite because it's quiet, a place where people who want to relax alone or elderly people can enjoy the cherry blossoms in peace.

Since it was a park behind a public institution, it was closed on Monday, and that day there wasn't a soul around, so I had the full-bloom cherry blossoms all to myself.

I read a book, gazed at the cherry blossoms, walked around and gazed at them, and then read my book again.

Hmm. So refreshing😊

The wind had started to get cold, and cars were beginning to come and go, making the presence of people more noticeable, so I decided to head home.

"Hmm?"

The owner of the car that had just pulled in was standing perfectly still, staring intently at the ground.

Didn't they come to see the cherry blossoms?

I wondered about it, and when I followed their gaze, I was surprised.

"Huh? A hedgehog? 🦔"

This is my first time seeing a real hedgehog this close (lol)

The owner was a friendly person, and when I asked,
"Can I take a picture? 🥰"
they replied,
"Sure! Please take lots of cute ones!!"
and they even showed me its curled-up form.

“Oh… how cute! 😊❤”

During cherry blossom season, we tend to walk around only looking up.
But if you cast your gaze down to your feet, the fallen petals are beautiful too.

The petals floating in a puddle on the road after the rain look just like tiny flower rafts.

They really do call it a cherry blossom carpet, and it looks like the flowers are blooming all over again on the ground.
The way they dance in the wind makes it seem like the petals are alive 🌸

How adorable and elegant it is to see a hedgehog trotting along on top of those petals (lol)

I hear that in Europe, hedgehogs are considered lucky animals that "bring good fortune."

It is said that because they carry luck on their little backs, you will be happy if you meet one 🍀

So, I'm sharing a little bit of that luck with all of you 🌈

Hehe.

I hope I can meet that little bit of happiness again.

Such a spring moment 🌸🦔