The winds are wild and the rains are heavy in Japan, and that can only mean one thing:  it’s time to drink!  OK, for some of us it’s always time to drink, but for those of you who need excuses to drink, Kumamoto would suit you well between the last half of May and the first half of April.  That’s right, it’s flower watching season in Japan, and for me it’s time for a second slew of hanamis.  You might remember this story from last year’s slew.  This year we’re kicking it up a notch. BAM!

The destination for this year’s debauchery is beautiful Misato, about thirty minutes drive from my house tucked in a gorgeous valley carved out by the Midori River.  Misato isn’t only known for it’s natural beauty, but also for various old school engineering feats like the Midori River Dam, old stone bridges, and a 3333 stair climb which claims to be “Japan’s #1 Staircase.”