First of all, the Togetsukyo Bridge, which is known not only for its autumn leaves but also for its cherry blossoms, is always crowded with tourists.
The name Togetsukyo Bridge comes from the Kamakura period, when Emperor Kameyama (the 90th emperor, reigned 1260-1274) saw the moon rising from Higashiyama and setting over Arashiyama. It has been with.
“This photo was taken from the left bank of Togetsukyo Bridge at the end of March one year, before dawn, around 5:00 am, when the full moon on the 15th night was setting over Arashiyama, and when the Yoshino cherry trees were about to finish blooming.
The time before and after sunrise and sunset is also called “magic hour” or “blue hour”. In order to photograph both the moon and the cherry blossoms beautifully, it must be dark.
Even during the same magic hour, the example on the left was taken at a brighter time period close to sunrise in order to emphasize Togetsukyo Bridge. On the other hand, the example on the right was taken about 20 minutes before that. By darkening the entire photo, the cherry blossoms are emphasized.
The sunrise at Togetsukyo Bridge was blocked by Higashiyama, and it was about 5:50 on this day, about 15 minutes later than the so-called “time of sunrise in Kyoto”.
The magic hour is from 40 minutes to 10 minutes before, so it’s difficult to capture the moment when the light is at its best, but it’s really interesting. Please give it a try.” (Mr. Mizuno)
In the example on the right, the right side of the cherry blossoms looks brighter. Why?
“Because the streetlights and traffic lights at intersections are shining on us in a state that can be said to be ‘as it is’ on the day.
In addition, it is absolutely NG to hit the flash when shooting. Togetsukyo Bridge is a popular cherry blossom photography spot, so it is not uncommon for dozens of people to gather even before dawn. It will be an obstacle for other photographers, and the cherry blossom petals will be blown white in the photo.” (Mr. Mizuno)
The full moon of the cherry blossom season this year (2023) is April 6th. Weathernews forecasts that Arashiyama will be in full bloom on March 31st, so it’s a bit of a tricky timing, but how about trying a collaboration of cherry blossoms, the full moon, and Togetsukyo Bridge?
