The following is a note of how the weeping cherry blossoms of Daigoji Temple's Reihokan and the Kyoto Imperial Palace on April 1 became the best I have photographed of all the cherry blossoms in Kyoto so far.
Since I rediscovered Kyoto 20 years ago, I have been photographing the city's spring, summer, fall, and winter seasons.
It is mainly the cherry blossoms in spring, and the autumn leaves in fall.
Kyoto is Japan's best place for cherry blossoms and autumn leaves.
Until last year, I always thought cherry blossom season would not bring fine weather.
There are many cloudy days.
It contrasts the autumn foliage, blessed with clear skies as if by divine providence.
Last year, the cherry blossoms bloomed unusually early compared to other years (especially in the years since I started photography).
Cherry blossoms in Kyoto start at Daigoji Temple.
The cherry blossoms are associated with Hideyoshi, who is said to have died after seeing them at Daigoji Temple.
If I am not mistaken, the weeping cherry tree at Sanboin Temple is a national treasure.
The most outstanding cherry trees in Daigoji Temple are this cherry tree and the weeping cherry tree in the Reihokan.
The gate is covered with magnificent Someiyoshino cherry trees.
The full bloom of the Someiyoshino cherry trees does not coincide with the full bloom of the weeping cherry trees mentioned above.
The weeping cherry trees are in full bloom first.
The weeping cherry is past its prime when the Someiyoshino is in full bloom.
I always check the blooming information in the Kyoto Shimbun and go out to take pictures when the cherry trees are in full bloom.
I noticed for the first time that the Kyoto Shimbun and I have opposite points of view on the cherry blossoms at Daigoji Temple.
The Kyoto Shimbun uses Someiyoshino as its standard.
Therefore, when I went there, it was always past the best time to see the weeping cherry trees.
Someiyoshino cover the road in front of the gate from both sides.
It is no exaggeration to say that this is Japan's best cherry blossom tunnel.
However, the vast crowds make it unsuitable for my photographs.
It is because I do not process my photos at all.
I don't even try to know how to process them.
In other words, my photographs are the result of a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.
I only take pictures on sunny days.
The reason goes without saying.
My photographs are taken to send to the world by attaching them to this column.
Therefore, I generally do not publish photos in which people's faces are reflected in the images.
The tunnel of cherry blossoms in Daigoji Temple is full of people's faces.
However, if you remove people's faces, you cannot see the magnificence of the cherry blossoms.
Last year, miraculously, both the cherry blossoms at Daigoji Temple and the Kyoto Botanical Garden were at their best when the weeping cherry and Someiyoshino cherry trees were at their best simultaneously.
On top of that, I had several days of clear skies for the first time since I took out my photography.
Grateful for the good fortune, I continued to take pictures at various locations throughout the days of clear skies.
The cherry blossom season is much later this year than last year.
However, the viewing time is about the same as in previous years.
When I checked the weather forecast for Kyoto, I found that the best time to see the cherry blossoms and clear skies hardly coincides with this year, as in previous years.
I had been looking forward to photographing from March 30, but on April 1, the cherry blossoms at the beginning of this article and the weeping cherry blossoms in Maruyama Park were at their best when the weather was clear.
I headed to Daigoji Temple in the morning to photograph them all in one day.
Lunch of an eel bowl set meal at Kineya above Daigo Station. The udon was delicious.
I usually walk to Maruyama Park from Higashiyama Subway Station via Chion-in Temple, but I took a cab this day to save time.
On the way there, the driver was a woman who grew up in Kyoto and was very pleasant.
On the way back, we took a cab in front of Chion-in Temple, but he was a bit sarcastic, saying, "Why don't you just walk?"
I said, "My companion has just had foot surgery," and so on.
However, he pleasantly delivered me to Higashiyama station in the shortest possible time.
This article continues.
2024/4/1 in Kyoto
