March is in full bloom!A hidden kazura cherry blossom spot in Matsusaka City garners 380,000 Likes

By: Alex

As March begins, Japan has officially entered cherry blossom season. Among the earliest blooming varieties, the kazura cherry blossoms have now reached “full bloom” in many areas. Recently, a photo of kazura cherry blossoms in full bloom has gone viral online. Perhaps because the shooting location is not well-known, netizens who saw the photo had the feeling of “discovering a hidden gem,” which led to the photo receiving nearly 390,000 likes and 70,000 reposts, with over 700 comments.

This cherry blossom photo was taken by a photography enthusiast from Mie Prefecture, Japan, Xiaoyuan @Pai Sanjuu no Hito (@fugaemon), at the Kazura Cherry Blossom Path in Kasamatsu-cho, Matsusaka City.There is an agricultural waterway there lined with about 300 kazura cherry blossom trees on both sides. The blossoms usually bloom from late February to early March, but this year they were nearly in full bloom by the end of February.

▲@fugaemon’s cherry blossom works earned him more than 380,000 likes. (Photo by fugaemon @Twitter)

From the photo taken by @fugaemon, you can see that the waterway is not very wide—only wide enough for two small boats to pass through; the cherry blossom trees on both sides are also not very tall, roughly the height of two or three adults. However, due to the shooting angle and the fact that it was peak blooming season, the view appears especially lush and magnificent. In addition, the blue sky and white clouds add a harmonious atmosphere to the scene. The reflections on the water surface also become a striking highlight.

▲@fugaemon’s photos of the Kasamatsu Kazura Cherry Blossom Path taken on other days. (Photo by fugaemon @Twitter)

▲(Photo by fugaemon @Twitter)

▲(Photo by fugaemon @Twitter)

The photographer revealed that the equipment used that day was a Sony A7R IV with an SEL 24mm GM lens, along with a GND square filter and a PL filter to adjust the blue of the sky and the brightness of the water surface. For post-processing, he used Photoshop to brighten the edges of the image and the water surface. It’s worth mentioning that it was very windy on the day of shooting, and the water surface kept rippling, making it impossible to capture satisfying reflections. He had to wait patiently until the wind miraculously stopped for 2 minutes. He seized that brief moment to take this beautiful photo.

▲Photos taken by other photography enthusiasts. (Photo by vulcan_z9 @Twitter)

▲(Photo by vulcan_z9 @Twitter)

▲(Photo by vulcan_z9 @Twitter)

▲(Photo by w4Cb1Sq8q5xr6hi @Twitter)

▲(Photo by w4Cb1Sq8q5xr6hi @Twitter)

▲(Photo by YutoPhotography @Twitter)

▲(Photo by YutoPhotography @Twitter)

▲(Photo by norichika135 @Twitter)

Source: Grapee, fugaemon