Cherry Blossom Photo Tours are appealing for so many reasons.  It’s no wonder that they are the goal of so many visiting and native Japanese photographers each year.  The varieties, shades of different colors, the rarity, the various times the blossoms open across Japan, and their ephemeral blossom itself make sakura a captivating subject for any photographer considering joining a Japan Dreamscapes (JDS) Cherry Blossom Photography Workshop.

For example, near Miura Kaigan Beach, there are over 1 kilometer of kawazu sakura, some of the earliest blooming variety of sakura in Japan, and the trees are situated near the rail line, so the contrast between the hardened steel and the soft, inviting cherry blossoms make for amazing photo ops.  There is also the Miura Beach Festival held during the peak cherry blossom season, so you can share your time between photography and the kimono and yukata clad local residents who will be enjoying hanami, or cherry blossom viewing along side you.  Your JDS Photo Tour Leader will be with you for every step of the kilometer of cherry blossoms to photograph so you will definitely discover gallery worthy sakura photos.

A little later in the cherry blossom viewing season, Kinugasayama Park’s sakura trees spring to life and their beautiful, shining blossoms are available for all visitors to enjoy.  There are over 2,000 cherry blossom trees within the park’s grounds, and the views and photographs are so remarkable at that the park has been nationally recognized as a representative of the ‘Nihon Sakura Meisho Hyakusen’, or one of 100 must see cherry blossom locations in Japan.  As you stroll the park, you will understand why, and there is one spot in the park that allows you, on a clear day, arguably the most breathtaking blend of cherry blossoms with Mt. Fuji and the famous Landmark Tower also in frame for a once in a lifetime photo op.  Another benefit of visiting Kinugasayama Park during cherry blossom season is the culturally rich festivals that are held in and around the park.  Taiko drummers commonly perform, so you can mesh the frenetic action of drumming performances with soothing sakura photographs.

One aspect of that of cherry blossoms that make their photos even more tantalizing is how dependent on weather conditions.  Japan is also latitudinally long at over 3000 kilometers, located in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, climates range from sub arctic conditions in the north, to subtropical in the south. There are two distinct ecological lines dividing Japans natural indigenous plant and animal life. “The Blakiston’s Line” and the “Watase’s Line.”  This latitudinal condition is what contributes to the different times at which the sakura come into full bloom.  Weather charts are, however, one of JDS’s veteran photo workshop leader’s area of special focus, so leave all the weather concerns to us.  All you need to do is have your camera ready to capture the amazing cherry blossoms in all the different varieties you will see across Japan with JDS.

The final key element that makes sakura so appealing and Cherry Blossom Photo Tours so challenging is the narrow window of time the sakura are at full bloom before their tender petals flutter to the ground requiring that you wait another calendar year to see them again.  A less experienced Japan Photo Tour Leader may find himself at a location where all there is to show the client are bashful cherry blossom trees stingily refusing to stretch out their petals to full bloom, but with JDS, our Photo Workshop Leaders have been working in Japan for over 20 years, so each itinerary, including the one for the upcoming cross-country Cherry Blossom Photo Tour have flexibility built into them, so the chances of catching the quintessential cherry blossom photo are much higher because of the years dedicated to leading photo adventures across Japan and making sure the client leaves fulfilled.