Enjoying the Cherry Blossoms
Enjoying the Cherry Blossoms -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 32mm — 1/80 sec, f/5, ISO 400 — map & image datanearby photos
Enjoying the Cherry Blossoms

Yesterday evening, we had a mini picnic on the grounds of the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, under the cherry blossoms that overlook the Kyoto Biwako Canal. Fumie prepared a snack and Anthony brought the BBQ play set he got from his Uncle Marty and Aunt Marci (which I could swear I blogged about when he received it, but I can't find it, so must not have.... [UPDATE: I have now]

The picture above was taken around sundown, with the help of a tripod and a timer, but during the short noontime stroll I took when taking pictures of the main gate of the Heian Shrine featured in the previous post, I also witnessed many people enjoying their own hanami — cherry-blossom viewing. The rest of this post's pictures are from that stroll.

The park bench (tiny, behind some blossoms) in the center of this next shot is the one that we were sitting on some hours later when the picture above was taken.

Hanami on the Water -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55 f/2.8 @ 48mm — 1/320 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Hanami on the Water

These boats run only during cherry-blossom season, and cost about $10 for a half-hour trip. I've yet to do it, but am in no rush since it would only mean more photos to post, and I have enough for now. This was taken from about the same vantage point as the top picture in the Easter Night Cherry Blossoms post.

The next shot is looking back at the bridge from which the previous shot was taken. The bridge is for Jingumichi, the road that runs under the Heian Shrine gate. (The runners shown in this post are actually on the bridge, though it my not seem like it.)

Hanami on a Bridge -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 82mm — 1/1000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Hanami on a Bridge

The building in the upper-right is the National Museum of Modern Art, which despite being directly across the street/canal from my place, I've never been to except for their cafe.

I'm going to go ahead and put another shot of the bridge, because I really like it...

Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/750 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos

So many bridges. The two pictures above were taken from a second bridge. Turning around to look the other way, and I see another hanami boat, and the Lake Biwa Canal Museum of Kyoto (which you might remember from the second picture in this post the other day). The Kyoto Zoo is beyond the cherry trees on the left-side bank.

Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/80 sec, f/8, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos

Crossing the bridge and entering the grounds of the Municipal Museum of Art from the rear (the museum mentioned in the first two shots, not the National Museum of Modern Art, which is across the street, separated by the huge main get of the Heian Shrine), I found plenty of people enjoying the blossoms....

Hanami while Sketching -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/45 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Hanami while Sketching

The lady is likely wearing a mask because of pollen allergies. Both the allergies and the masks are quite common this time of year. Her view across the pond is of the two ladies seen in the next picture, with the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art as the backdrop...

Hanami and Lunch -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/125 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Hanami and Lunch
— map & image data — nearby photos Crowd Hanami -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 86mm — 1/1500 sec, f/3.5, ISO 100, P.P. boost: +0.27EVmap & image datanearby photos
Crowd Hanami
Private Hanami -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/160 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Private Hanami
Umpteenth Hanami -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/160 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Umpteenth Hanami

They're overlooking the canal, and probably watched me take a bunch of the pictures above.

Finally, I saw these happy ladies walking along the Shirakawa River.

Hanami Close to Home -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2007 Jeffrey Eric Francis Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/125 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100 — map & image datanearby photos
Hanami Close to Home

(The “home” in this case being mine. 🙂 )

When they arrived to where I was standing, the ladies noticed the same view that I did in the previous post, so asked me to take their picture. They had these weird camera-type things that seemed to use extremely thin strips of plastic covered in a layer of photosensitive material, wound about little spools. Very odd. I must research what they were....


All 3 comments so far, oldest first...

Happy Birthday, Jeff. What a nice family photo at the top of your post. When you joined our family those many years ago, it was a happy day then too. It seemed like you had a very pleasant day. Today may not be so pleasant for your Dad. I am taking him i n this morningt for cataract surgery. If you get this post yet today say a little prayer that all goes well. Love, Mom

— comment by Grandma Friedl on April 12th, 2007 at 10:25pm JST (16 years, 11 months ago) comment permalink

Wow! Your photos are really great. I can’t wait to visit Japan 🙂

— comment by Wawan on December 2nd, 2011 at 1:46am JST (12 years, 4 months ago) comment permalink

your photos of cherry blossoms are like addiction. cant stop once started seeing them. thanks for the feast
i am from India .

— comment by shona on August 12th, 2013 at 11:36pm JST (10 years, 7 months ago) comment permalink
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