A drive to Youra Lookout To the Youra Peninsula in February, for signs of spring outside the car

On a clear February day, my driving friend and I headed to Youra Lookout. After the pass road, I parked the red car in a marked bay. Stepping outside in my beige coat, I saw a sky that made me want to look all the way towards the sea.

From beside a pillar, I saw a cape stretching far across the water. Cherry branches were visible just below too. Finding flowers on a day when I still wore a winter coat made me feel I’d already begun a spring detour.

I placed the Tsukumi mandarin I’d brought on white paper and lifted a little of the peel. Supporting the fruit with one hand, I watched the part I’d peeled. Taking my time brought its aroma suddenly closer.

“Let’s eat it one segment at a time,” I told my friend, finishing the peeling. A bite, a look at the sea, then another bite. I liked tasting the mandarin in the breeze and wanted to make this pause before returning to the car a little longer.

Youra’s Kawazu cherry trees begin blooming around early February and reach their best around the middle of the month. Next time, I thought I’d like to explore more flowers around the peninsula. By the time I followed the stone path back to the car, my friend and I were talking about where else to stop that day.