One of my first posts a few years ago – The Ugliness of Japanese Cherry-Blossom Viewing – encapsulated my opinion of the common cherry-blossom viewing experience in Japan, so I never would have imagined how wonderful it was this past weekend around here, despite the crowds. In fact, as I wrote in Cherry-Blossom Joie de Vivre in Kyoto, the sense of enjoyment was actually heightened by the crowds, a sort of beneficial mob mentality that kept a smile on everyone's face, as if we were all let in on some kind of beautiful secret that bound us together.
It wasn't enjoyable for everyone all the time, of course. It was decidedly unfun if you had to drive (which I didn't).
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 190 mm — 1/1500 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Traffic Waits Along Nioomon St
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — 1/3200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Waiting To Enter an Underground Garage
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/160 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Some Found Ways To Enjoy Despite the Traffic
Rickshaw Ride in Kyoto, Japan
It also wasn't fun if you encountered one of the (surprisingly few) assholes with a cigarette.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 55 mm — 1/350 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Inconsiderate Jerk
It probably also wasn't fun if you were stuck inside working, washing dishes at a cafe....
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200 mm — 1/640 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Enjoying Lunch on the Terrace
and dirtying a lot of dishes
It was also decidedly unfun if you visited a convenience store nearby, because inside the crowds were oppressive, like what one hears of rush-hour trains in Tokyo. I stopped by the local 7-11 on Saturday morning, and was shocked how crowded it was. You couldn't walk while inside; the best you could do was shuffle or waddle. This, despite the store having set up some registers and stands in the parking lot to directly sell the most common things (bento lunches, bottled tea, etc.), taking pressure off the crowds inside.
I was chatting with the owner today as I picked some ice coffee, and commented about the crowds. He said that on Saturday, out of the 12,000 7-11s in the country, his was ranked #3 (in sales, I assume). Wow.