56

According to my mother, inventing a nickname for me was not very difficult.

Exactly 24 years ago, on March 28, my parents decided to throw a hanami party for their friends.

Hanami parties, or cherry blossom viewing parties, are common in Japan. It is a centuries-old practice that prevailed in military countries.

Today, hanami parties often consist of having a picnic under the Sakura trees with people eating, drinking, singing, and having fun. People often bring food, have barbecues, or buy food from vendors.

So while my dad was working at the steakhouse, his friends took a sip of sake and my mom sat on a blanket under a cherry tree enjoying her dango I thought this was all a pretty sweet deal and wanted to join the party. fun ... And ultimately, it turned what was supposed to be a nice quiet night looking at pretty pink trees into one of massive chaos.

The barbecue burned to a crisp, my parents' friends spilled or spat her sake into a spray, and my