Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/1000 sec, f/3.2, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Standing Tall
at the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine (北野天満宮), Kyoto Japan
At Stéphane Barbery's suggestion that the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine's plum were ripe for the photographic picking, I popped over for a quick 45-minute visit today. This is the same place I wrote about a week or so ago, both in “Kyoto Plum-Blossom Preview: Scenes From a Year Ago Today” where I talked about how Feb 22 was too early for the plum blossoms, and in the less blossom-centric post “The Many Lanterns and Overwhelming Sumptuousness of the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine”.
It was chilly (~10C / 50F), but a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere...
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/5000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Shrine Visit
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/3200 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Line
The shot above doesn't really “work” because the only thing in focus is the group of people in the far background, leaving the big gate building in the foreground annoyingly and dominatingly out of focus. I'd intended it this way (the group of people are in line to pay respects, as described on this post), but nah, the result doesn't work.
From about the same vantage, toward the side I noticed a tree growing out of the stump of its ancestor (perhaps a fitting image for reincarnation) net to some kind of cow statue...
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/2500 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Holy Cow!
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Jangling
to grab the gods' attention
(again, as described here)
Having noticed that one of the lanterns was dated 1879 while writing a recent post, I checked out a few more lanterns for dates today. The closest of these three is dated 1866...
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/2, ISO 1100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Contemporaries
the other two are about 10 years younger
However, in the “hallway” I wrote about before, I found one dated 1835...
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/400 sec, f/2, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
From 1835
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/2, ISO 2500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Its Bottom, with the Date
I didn't have time to check them all, so there are some left for my next visit.
I'd posted a photo titled “Lanterns” the other day. These next two shots are similar, but from a different wall of the same building...
Of course, by this time in the season there are plenty of plum blossoms.
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/640 sec, f/2.5, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Baby Plums
I didn't take too many blossom photos because I've already got plenty (as a click on the “nearby photos” link under any of these photos will show), but you can't visit during plum-blossom season without taking at least a few. 🙂
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/11, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
In Bunches
The many variety of plum blossom at different times and different rates, so there's currently quite a range, from bare trees to full-on maximum.
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/2.5, ISO 180 — map & image data — nearby photos
Shade of Pink #12
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/500 sec, f/5, ISO 360 — map & image data — nearby photos
Relaxed Atmosphere
though these trees have a long way until full bloom
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/2500 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Smattering of Color
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — 1/2500 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Close to Full Bloom
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/2.5, ISO 140 — map & image data — nearby photos
Everyone's a Critic
The real draw of the place is the plum orchard, which costs about $6 to enter. I didn't have time to do so today, but from what I could see from the temple's main gate (the photo below), it was starting to fill in nicely... much better than two weeks earlier in the season when it's mostly bare....
Nikon D4 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — 1/500 sec, f/2.5, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Orchard, from Afar
Beautiful!
It’s still so cold, though, spring seems so far away here in Kansai. *sigh*
I actually saw snow this morning in Kyoto! —Jeffrey
Mmm.. looks good. Will be in Kyoto on 16 March 2014 for a few days. Hoping that the plum blossoms at Kitano Tenmangu will still be putting on a show then. When is the best time to visit the shrine and its park – early morning, late morning, afternoon, late afternoon?
Also attending the Hanatouro at Higashiyama that week too.
Mid march is their prime, so your timing is perfect. What time of day? Yes. All of the above. I just hope it warms up… we’re having a bit of snow today. —Jeffrey