The cherry blossoms of Japan are legendary. Sure, the food is delicious, and the sake is to be cherished, but the cherry blossoms are beauty beyond words. Stunning white and pink blossoms begin to show in Spring. Southern Japan blooms first in early March, then Tokyo flowers mid-March through early April, and finally, the harbinger of spring arrives to Sapporo in May. I’m not going to go any further in writing this. As I said, “beauty beyond words.” Here are some images of Japan’s cherry blossoms from Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. Enjoy.
NOTE: At my heart, I am a wildlife photographer. My favorite lens is a 600mm telephoto and I was the only dude cruising around the Garden’s like this. As a result of my need to photograph critters, there’s wildlife in these photos… You’re Welcome. 😉
A “Brown-eared Bulbul” weaves through the blossoms with incredible celerity. Seriously, there was no blossom or angle which was out of this bird’s reach.
No bug in a blossom was safe. When I look at this image, I hear the voices of the characters from Book of Mormon in the opening song, “Hello.” This one is saying, “Hello, my name is Elder BulBul.”
In my favorite book, Moby Dick, chapter 82, Melville brings the reader’s attention to the dichotomy of the beauty of the whale, and the potential fearsomeness of the same animal. In the passage, “So in dreams, have I seen majestic Satan thrusting forth his tormented colossal claw from the flame Baltic of Hell. But in gazing at such scenes, it is all in all what mood you are in; if in the Dantean, the devils will occur to you; if in that of Isaiah, the archangels.” So too it is for the many insects and critters inside the beautiful blossoms of the tree. A hellish ordeal for the diminutive bugs, but quite a lovely sight for us bipeds staring safely in wide-eyed wonder from below.
A BulBul jabs a tiny bug from a blossom. Look closely just under the beak, you will see a tiny bug falling from the flower. This is the beauty of 1/500 shutter speed and 7 frames a second at 45MP.
A Great Tit destroys a tiny worm. Seriously, this birds name, to my childish glee, is a “Great Tit.” I shared this picture with some Aussie friends, and their immediate response was, “please send another so I can tell you what a pair of Great Tits you have.” Their request was immediately met. Thank you, Australia.
One of my favorite parts of asian culture is traditional dress is still a thing. In Japan, that style is a Kimono. All different colors and patterns, the kimonos I saw in the Shinjuku Gyoen Gardens were stunning.
Of course, I made my way over to say hello and tell them how beautiful the kimonos looked. Asking strangers to take a photo can be nerve wracking, especially in a foreign country, but once again, my request was met with smiles and kindness. They insisted that I be in the photo, and I was happy to oblige. Blossom themed, every one of them.
This is an actual photo of what cherry blossoms look like when you’ve had too much sake.
As my walk through the park continued, I tried to feel what it meant to be here. How could I show in an image what staring through endless seas of pink petals and yellow pollen was like. For all my friends who weren’t able to make it. This picture is for you. Nothing but blossoms when you look into the tree. Too close to be in focus, just in focus, and too far to be sharp; a field of color so dense, we can barely make out the figure of a BulBul with his little beak covered in thick, yellow pollen.
I feel incredibly lucky to have experienced the Sakura this year. When walking around, there’s a magic in the air. All year, people look forward to a couple weeks of stunning and outlandish beauty, and as fast as it comes, it leaves. I strongly feel the terminal nature of our existence is part of what makes our lives so precious. Just like us, the cherry blossoms flower into something unique and stunning, shine bright for a short time, and then wither away. The epicness of the display reminded me to be certain I make the most of my short time here on this earth. That night, as I enjoyed some udon and sake by myself, I made a toast to those who shine bright, unafraid of their colors, flowers included. “Kanpai!”
