Against the ice storm, winds, and heavy snow weighing on the trees, the delicate plum flower is blossoming anyway. Because she's brave. She's a valiant little flower. She can do it. Her strong heart and discrete beauty will prevail. 

From Higashi-Matsubara park, western Tokyo.

Plum tree flower power!

This is the second snowy week-end in Tokyo this month. Pretty rare. With 30 cm snow and more on the street, making your way in Tokyo became the fanciest local Olympic discipline. A new kind of triathlon including diving, skiing, and jumping to reach your final destination. I can't belive that last year, I was admiring the plum tree blossoms (ume) wearing a light spring jacket.

Plum tree blossoms flowering in the snow

Arriving at Yoyogi park, the landscape really turns into an ice field.

If a seal shows up, I wouldn't be surprised.

Meiji-jingu under the snow

And now the snow-woman needs a warm break. What is better than creamy ginger chai tea latte and banana cake to survive in winter?

What else?

Winterly yours.

Since I moved to Japan, it has been snowing once every year in Tokyo. But this time is the heavier, thicker snow I have ever experienced in the capital. All the city fell into a silky, silent sleep, except for the crows which are noisily expressing  their disagreement with the climate.

At Eifukucho, a few stops away from Shibuya on the Inokashira line, the landscape looks just like a fairy tale.

Enchanted Eifukucho

Snow turns your neighborhood into an unusual place. The flows, the irregularities of the urban landscape disappear under the purity of the frozen coat.

My freezing street

There's nothing like snow to make you genuinely happy like a kid. I had my content of white and frozen beauty for this year.

From Snow-White, with love

 And don't catch a cold!