This post was written in 2005. Some information may be out of date.
Today (well, actually yesterday) was the best day to see the cherry blossoms in Tokyo. Well… the day before was probably good too,
but that wasn’t a day off… After a late breakfast I slung my camera with the 50mm f/1.4 on it over my shoulder and headed into Tokyo
for some blossom viewing. (No beer this time. ^_^)
On the Chuo Line toward Shinjuku the view was so pretty that I got off at a station to take pictures.
It felt a bit like riding Seoul Subway Line 2 past Daerim and Guro-gu Office stations and noticing the cherry trees in bloom,
if that makes sense… But the scenery in Japan is far more gorgeous. After all, the cherry trees along Line 2
were planted not that long ago…
I arrive at Takadanobaba, the first stop of the day. As for why I went there… I’ll explain in detail in a separate
post. Anyway, having done what I came for, I was on my way to look around nearby Waseda University when
I stopped at a place called Omokagebashi to take photos of the blossoms. “Omokage” means memories of the past.
Apparently it’s called that because it’s an important place in Tokyo’s history… but I don’t know the details. It seemed like
some sad story connected to a battle…
The river (-_-) flowing down below is called the Kanda River. There’s a famous song about it too… but as for why it’s famous,
…I have no idea. (So many things I don’t know.)
The blossoms were in full bloom that day. In a word, at their peak… A light breeze blew now and then, just enough to send the petals
drifting, making it the perfect day for blossom viewing, and the sky was clear too.
Just once a year, around this time, they burst into bloom as if celebrating the arrival of a new spring and then fall right away…
It’s a little sad… But I suppose I still have a few dozen chances left to see cherry blossoms this intoxicatingly
beautiful…
A tasteful haiku about cherry blossoms is attached to the railing. As usual I can’t really decipher it,
but it seems to compare the blossoms to an avalanche. (Haiku… so hard…)
When the weather’s good, the photos come out well. (Or maybe they only look that way on my laptop…)
This isn’t a well-known spot, so there were no drunks making a scene and no loud music,
which made it a lovely place to enjoy the blossoms at a leisurely pace.
Those who know me well have probably guessed already, but yesterday, and even this morning, I had no idea I’d end up
taking pictures like these in a place like this. Yes, once again the legend goes that I got lost and stumbled upon it by chance…
(For the record, today I went with a map in hand… and still got lost. -_-;;)
This is the last remaining streetcar line in Tokyo. 160 yen for adults… but walking is actually faster than riding it.
Still, today being the day it was, it was packed with people…