By: Alex
Today (March 14) is White Day. Would confessing your feelings to someone special beneath this naturally formed heart-shaped pattern surrounded by cherry blossoms increase your chances of success? Unfortunately, even if you're in Japan now, the heart-shaped blossoms at Tokyo's Meguro River haven't bloomed yet. To experience the romance of "sakura fubuki" (cherry blossom petals falling like snow) and the grandeur of the cherry blossom tunnel, you’ll likely have to wait until the projected full bloom period at the end of this month.
▲ (Photo by yako_flpr3/IG)
In fact, the photo above is a work taken by photographer Naohiro Yako last year. He didn’t disclose the exact shooting location, but based on other similarly composed photos, the heart-shaped cherry blossoms are estimated to have been shot from Sakura Bridge near Nakameguro Station along the Meguro River. In recent years, Japanese people have increasingly enjoyed viewing cherry blossoms at night, where carefully arranged lighting gives the blossoms a different kind of beauty compared to the daytime—a sight photographers shouldn’t miss.
Other photos of Meguro River taken by photographers and netizens:
▲ (Photo by number_shiiix/IG)
▲ (Photo by issei/IG)
▲ (Photo by owsla/IG)
▲ (Photo by zyc_zh/IG)
Meguro River is a waterway that flows through Setagaya, Meguro, and Shinagawa wards in Tokyo. The nearest station is Nakameguro Station on the Tokyu Toyoko Line, and you’re practically at the middle section of Meguro River as soon as you exit the station. It remains a popular cherry blossom viewing spot. It’s recommended to start from Ikejiri-Ohashi Station on the Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line, walk southward along Meguro River, all the way to stations such as Meguro, Gotanda, and Ohsaki on the JR Yamanote Line. The total distance is only about 4.5 to 5.5 kilometers, and you can choose based on your stamina and available time.
It’s worth mentioning that the lighting time for Meguro River is from sunset until 9:00 PM. Photographers should plan their shooting times carefully. If needed, you can refer to the cherry blossom viewing guide on the Meguro Ward community website or download the guide map (2017 edition) via this link.
▲ Meguro River Cherry Blossom Guide Map
Source: Naohiro Yako, Meguro Ward Community Website