On March 15th, the Meteorological Agency of Japan declared that sakura (cherry) blossoms had started blooming in Tokyo. It was the earliest record in history. The agency then reported that they fully blossomed on March 22nd.
As I post year after year, Japanese people harbor romantic emotions towards sakura blossoms. We are also reminded of the emptiness of life seeing the beautiful blossoms dropping only a week after they fully blossom. Sakura viewing is a part of Japanese culture. Famous sakura spots are crowded with admirers. They spread mats on the ground under the blossoms, and have parties with their family, friends and colleagues.
Wait a minute please. This year, the situation was totally different from previous years. We were prohibited to hold parties under the sakura trees in the public places due to new coronavirus infection risks. I had no choice but to take only several sakura photographs on the way back home from my office. I saw very few people walking and watching sakura blossoms around the Imperial Palace. There was a little traffic on the streets in the evening.
Incidentally, I shot a night view of Tokyo station from my office before shooting fully bloomed sakura trees. It was a good warming up for my sakura shooting. The station scenery was very beautiful against the evening sky same as before, but it was different since the invisible new coronavirus was active out of sight of ordinary people.
I hope things will blow over soon.
As I post year after year, Japanese people harbor romantic emotions towards sakura blossoms. We are also reminded of the emptiness of life seeing the beautiful blossoms dropping only a week after they fully blossom. Sakura viewing is a part of Japanese culture. Famous sakura spots are crowded with admirers. They spread mats on the ground under the blossoms, and have parties with their family, friends and colleagues.
Wait a minute please. This year, the situation was totally different from previous years. We were prohibited to hold parties under the sakura trees in the public places due to new coronavirus infection risks. I had no choice but to take only several sakura photographs on the way back home from my office. I saw very few people walking and watching sakura blossoms around the Imperial Palace. There was a little traffic on the streets in the evening.
Incidentally, I shot a night view of Tokyo station from my office before shooting fully bloomed sakura trees. It was a good warming up for my sakura shooting. The station scenery was very beautiful against the evening sky same as before, but it was different since the invisible new coronavirus was active out of sight of ordinary people.
I hope things will blow over soon.
