In 2019, I finally experienced the beauty of the Nakano-Dori cherry blossoms. I had unknowingly missed it for twenty-three years. Back in 1996, I worked just a stone’s throw away from this famous street, completely unaware of this sakura hotspot that came into being each spring. It’s a reminder of how much we can miss when we don’t know where to look. This is the story of rectifying a long-lost opportunity and learning photography the hard way.
Nakano-Dori: A local sakura spot
While it may not be Tokyo’s most famous sakura destination, I was incredibly impressed. For nearly two kilometers, Nakano-Dori is flanked by approximately 300 cherry trees, creating a spectacular corridor of pink and white blossoms. Because it is a bustling shopping district, there aren’t many places to sit and linger, but that urban energy, combined with the floral display, creates a unique atmosphere.
Nakano isn’t an upscale area, but I’ve always liked it. There are fantastic places to eat, and the shopping is diverse. If you are a photographer, be sure to check out the Fujiya Camera store near the Sun Mall. Regardless of whether you carry a pro camera or just a smartphone, Nakano-Dori is a must-visit in the spring. The canopy of trees along both sides of the road is truly breathtaking.
How to reach Nakano-Dori
Nakano-Dori is located on the north side of Nakano Station, which serves Tokyo’s Chuo Line. It is a quick, five-minute train ride from Shinjuku.
Learning the hard way in photography
When I revisited these photos from 2019, I noticed something. To my eye now, it sticks out like a sore thumb.
The photos are mostly the same. When I was there, I was so thrilled at photographing a new place. My mind and camera were locked solely on the perspective of the tree-lined street. Consequently, I took almost all of my photos looking straight down the road, hardly capturing anything else. In my photography life, especially early on, I’ve repeated this mistake so many times. Not critiquing my images in an objective way, has been a huge mistake. In the race to get them out on my blog for the internet to see, was a huge mistake.
I’ve missed many chances to vary my storytelling. At Nakano, I could have focused on macro shots of the individual blossoms, used a wide-angle lens to capture the trees against the city skyline for scale, or framed a shot looking directly up through the canopy. A variety of perspectives would have told a much richer story of the experience.
Don’t misunderstand, I still like these photos. However, repeating the same composition over and over is a classic “newbie” mistake. It’s a habit I’ve worked hard to break, and I’m still working on it. Hopefully, I’ve been repeating it less as my skills have evolved.
Final thoughts for your Tokyo photo trip
I highly recommend a visit to Nakano-Dori. It offers a beautiful sight coupled with a wonderful local atmosphere. When you bring your camera, remember my 23-year wait and my photographic lesson: capture the grand scene, but don’t forget the smaller details to complete the story. Don’t go about progressing the hard way, like I did. If you are ever in the area, Inokashira Park, another great cherry blossom spot isn’t far away.
My photography gear for this shoot
- Camera body: Fujifilm X-T2
- Lenses: Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
Date of Photos: 1 April 2019
