Hanami A-Go-Go!

Hey friends,

It's been a long Winter here in Tokyo, and now it's starting to look like Spring is finally here!
The sporadic warm days amidst the cold ones are become more frequent, however there is another obvious visual sign about the new Spring arrival.

If anyone has visited Japan around this time of year, they just might be lucky enough to know exactly what I am talking about.
Between late March and mid April we are blessed to witness the blossoming of the Sakura trees!
Sakura (or "Cherry Blossoms", as they are frequently referred to in the West) blossom only during this short time period in the whole year. The other 11 and a half months their limbs hang naked and seemingly lifeless.

During this time of year the people of Japan take advantage of not only the warm break from the long cold winter, but also to seize the only opportunity during the whole year to gaze upon and enjoy this native tree's beautiful and spectacular foliage.

This what the Japanese people refer to as "Hanami". A short word with a big meaning, in my opinion. Like many cultures in the world, the Japanese will use any and every excuse to kick back and lift a glass. To describe a Hanami quite simply; gather your family or closest friends together, throw out a blanket under the Sakura trees, take of your shoes, stetch out, cook up whatever you like on a portable BBQ, crack open a cold one, and enjoy that scenery boy. That is Hanami in a nut-shell. And I take to this kind of thing like a fish to water.



If anyone has been lucky enough to have done any extensive world travel, one thing can be agreed on by all. You get an enormous amount of respect for other people and cultures as you learn about them first hand. Especially as you personaly experience the sometimes drastic and even shocking differences in culture from your own.

So, one has to laugh to themselves as they discover one similar pattern occuring in EVERY country and culture. EVERYONE loves to party. Sure, there are different words in different languages when we raise a cup of bevy and unanimously exclaim a "Cheers"! ..but they all mean the same thing don't they.

Well, over here in Japan they like to say "Kanapai" when raising a cheerful toast, and I said a Kanpai or two (or seven) myself today.

Spring is probably my favorite season. It's a sign of new beginings as the many trees and flowers get their new pedals and leaves, the voices and faces of many young birds and animals can once again be seen and heard, and we start to open the windows in our houses to once again be reminded of how good that breezes feels when it gently brushes in.

But I think in Japan, the reason why many of us love this Season so much has a great deal to do with this mysterious tree, with it's extremely delicate pedals that only expose themselves for 10 days out of the entire year.

The Sakura tree is not only a stuningly beautiful tree to behold in itself, but it also provides us with one more reason to gather together. This "Hanami" is an excellent way to commune with each other, and with the outdoors. To nurture old relationships, strengthen new ones and enjoy each other's company. After all it's relationships that matter most in life.

This has great signifcance even around our small business.
The change in season has not only brought a noticeable change in weather, but also more personaly, within Combat Guitars. As we are making new steps to shorten that bridge between us and our friends and customers overseas.
This truly is a new begining for us, and we hope to share that enthusiasm we have as far as we can possibly reach.

So from myself and all of us at Combat, we want to thank you all sincerely for the growing interest and support we are recieving from many of you. We hope this new year will bring many many new beginings in all aspects of our growing company, and growing relationships.


Kanpai!

Combat Colin.