Cherry blossoms in Tokyo usually bloom around the end of March. Somei Yoshino, the most famous type of cherry blossom in Japan, usually starts blooming around this time.
However, there are many different types of cherry blossoms in Japan. Kawazu cherry blossoms bloom much earlier, usually about one month before Somei Yoshino.
There is a place near Tokyo Skytree where you can photograph the tower together with Kawazu cherry blossoms. The best timing changes depending on the year, but it is usually around the end of February. I took these photographs on February 27.
After the flowers are in full bloom, I think there is about one week when you have a good chance to photograph them.
Tokyo Skytree is also close to Asakusa, and I see many international visitors around this area. If you visit Tokyo at this time of year, this is a nice place to enjoy some early cherry blossoms.
For these photographs, I used a full-frame camera with an 85mm prime lens.
By changing the aperture, I can create different images.
I can blur the cherry blossoms in the foreground and use them to surround the Skytree, or I can keep more of the shape of the flowers visible. It is interesting to try different compositions at the same location.
One of the difficult parts is finding the right position. I look for a place where Tokyo Skytree appears in the center and the cherry blossom branches naturally surround it.
Sometimes I need to move around little by little until I find the right view through the flowers. For me, searching for that composition is also part of the fun of photography.
