This spring, I went to Japan to view cherry blossoms, and at the same time, rape blossoms were also in full bloom. One of the sacred sites for shooting rape blossoms is the area around the Koizumi Railway and Isumi Railway, about 80 kilometers from Tokyo.
Many people choose to shoot from inside the train cars, but I personally think that capturing the moment when the train passes by the fields of blooming rape blossoms is even more beautiful. And because of this, more preparation work is required.
First, you need a day with good weather. I had originally planned to go shooting on Friday, but unfortunately, the weather forecast predicted average conditions that day. The day before, Thursday, was expected to be sunny, so I had to adjust my schedule accordingly.
Next, I had to identify the best spots for shooting the rape blossoms one by one. The Koizumi Railway was relatively simple—the large open space near Yoro Valley Station was the best spot. For the Isumi Railway, however, the spots for shooting rape blossoms were more scattered, with about 15 kilometers of the 26.8-kilometer route covered in blooms. Because of this, to improve efficiency, I rented a car that day to drive around and shoot at the various locations.
Then I had to create a shooting itinerary for the day’s spots. Here are the timetables for the Koizumi and Isumi Railways. Since these are rural areas with smaller populations, train services are less frequent, and the train cars only have two carriages.
Early in the morning at 7 a.m., I picked up the rental car at JR Chiba Station’s Nissan location. My first stop was the open field near the Isumi Railway’s Nitta Field (an unmanned station). The train arrived ten minutes later than the online timetable—I’m not sure if it hadn’t been updated.
Next, I went to another scenic spot (description unclear). I needed to scout the area in advance to find the ideal shooting position.
Then came Jōmigaoka Station, where I could walk straight into the station to take photos.
After that, I went to a spot in Tōgane (description unclear).
Near Kugahara Station.
The final point on the Isumi Railway was (description unclear).
Then I headed to the famous spot near Yoro Valley Station on the Koizumi Railway. The train tracks here are flanked by blooming rape blossoms on both sides—if you time it right, you’re in for a real treat.
Besides rape blossoms, other flowers bloom in different months. For details, see here.
Travel date: March 31, 2016
Location: Around the Koizumi and Isumi Railways in Chiba Prefecture