Set to defrost and wait

According to the Japanese calendar, we're a month into Spring already. You'd be hard pressed to convince these folks of anything-other-than a couple weeks ago, when a troupe of local performers and school children came to our office to usher in the thaw and a change to the seasons. (Of course it's snowing now, so I blame Punxsutawney Phil—it's in his name after all!)

And here's the tiered hina doll set that was put up in Oirase Library, commemorating hina matsuri (March 3), a national day of celebration in honor of girls.