Kameido Tenjin Wisteria Festival 2018 taught me a valuable lesson in photography: sometimes, you can’t win. A sudden warm snap coaxed the delicate wisteria into an early bloom, catching many, including myself, by surprise. Though the festival was scheduled to run until May 6th, by the time I arrived on April 22nd, the famous cascading purple flowers were mostly gone.
A difficult photography choice
As a photographer who can only shoot once a week, I had a difficult decision to make. Should I go to the famed wisteria at Kameido Tenjin or the vibrant azaleas at Nezu Shrine? I chose the wisteria, hoping some blossoms would still be clinging to the trellises. Unfortunately, my gamble didn’t pay off. Upon entering the shrine grounds, I was greeted not by a sea of purple but by a landscape of lush green. Only a single section of the extensive trellises held onto its wisteria, a stark reminder of what could have been.
Shooting late season wisteria
While the sight was initially shocking, I was determined not to leave empty-handed. The remaining flowers, though past their prime, still possessed a delicate beauty. This became my new focus. Instead of the grand, sweeping shots of purple canopies I had envisioned, I had to adapt and work with the scene before me.
My initial plan was to capture the wisteria-draped drum bridges which are replicas of the originals lost in World War II. While they are good vantage points for photography due to their height I gave up on using them as I was looking down on a sea of green.
Instead, I shifted my perspective to ground level. This allowed me to incorporate the shrine’s architecture, the torii gate, and the other visitors into my compositions. The result was a series of images that, while not what I originally hoped for, were satisfying in their own right.
Persistence when plans fail
This experience at Kameido Tenjin Wisteria Festival 2018 underscored a crucial aspect of photography: the importance of perseverance. It’s easy to feel defeated when conditions aren’t perfect, but there’s always an opportunity to create something beautiful if you’re willing to adjust your perspective. The key is to work with what you have and never walk away without giving it your best effort.
Are the Kameido Tenjin wisterias worth it?
Kameido Tenjin, with its rich history and beautiful grounds, offers so much. But if you plan to go there for the wisteria festival, don’t make my mistake. Look at the forecasts and ring the shrine to know the conditions. Go there when the flowers look their best.
The shrine is also known for its chrysanthemum festival in the autumn, which is certainly worth a visit. If you want to know more about this fantastic place, look at [Kameido Tenjin Shrine Photo Guide].
My photography gear for this shoot
- Camera body: Fujifilm X-T2
- Lens: Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
