JOURNAL ・ FIELD NOTES

Sunrise over the Atami Cherry — The First Blossom of Spring

In Atami, Shizuoka, there is a flower that begins spring early — while most cherry trees still sleep as tight buds in the depth of winter. Along the promenade beside the Itokawa river bloom the atami-zakura, deep-pink early cherries said to be the first to flower anywhere in Japan. On a cold January morning, these blossoms drank in the light of the rising sun and slowly turned a warm, living colour.

Blooming Early, While Winter Still Sleeps

Just as the sun rose from the sea and drew a thin golden path across the water, the atami cherries lined along the Itokawa lit up all at once. In the heart of winter, when the surrounding trees still stood bare, these cherries alone had opened their deep-pink blossoms in full. That contrast loosened something in my chest as I watched. Even in the cold air, spring had already arrived this far. Hunching against the chill and looking up, I saw each flower as a small, glowing lantern. That morning, the atami cherry quietly proved that calling it Japan's earliest cherry is no exaggeration at all.

The Single Moment the Light Reaches the Flowers

I made this frame in the few short minutes when the dawn light reached right into the petals. Once the sun climbs higher, the pink becomes merely a bright colour; but in the low light of early morning, the flowers seem to glow from within. I am grateful that this photograph went on to receive a prize in a competition. Yet what I remember is not the award itself, but the quiet hour spent setting up a tripod with a body tired from a night shift, my breath white in the air, waiting for the right instant to release the shutter. The emergency room is a place that races against the second; that morning, all I had to do was wait for the light to fill. That stillness was the truest reward.

On a midwinter morning, a single grain of spring is lit.
The earliest cherry-light in all of Japan.

Planning your visit — season

The atami cherry is a blossom you can enjoy for a long while.

The atami cherry usually reaches its peak from late January to early February. Its great distinction is that it blooms in deep winter, far ahead of the familiar somei-yoshino. Because each branch carries two tiers of buds — some opening early and some late — the flowers are said to last for more than a month. Around fifty-odd atami cherry trees line the Itokawa promenade, and the Itokawa Cherry Festival is held to coincide with the peak, typically from mid-January to early February. In the evenings the trees are lit up, showing a lustrous face quite different from daytime. Bloom timing shifts with the weather, so please check the latest conditions before you set out.

Getting there

The Itokawa promenade is within walking distance of JR Atami Station. Pass through the shopping street in front of the station, head down the gentle slope, and you will arrive in about ten minutes on foot. If the slope is a concern, take a local bus from the stops in front of the station and get off at the Ginza stop, right beside the promenade. The promenade itself is free and open at any hour. There is no dedicated car park, so if you drive it is easiest to use one of the nearby municipal lots. If you are after the sunrise, arrive while it is still dark, choose your spot, and wait for the sky to pale.

Tips for photographers

Aim for the low-light window just after the sun lifts above the horizon. Stand so the light comes from behind the flowers, or strikes them at an angle, and the petals will turn translucent and seem to glow. The atami cherry is a very saturated colour, so keep the exposure slightly down to stop the pink from blowing out to white. Placing the river surface or the promenade railing in the foreground adds depth. On a windless morning, try gathering the reflection of the blossoms on the water as well. The light changes from moment to moment, so it helps to decide your composition in advance, so as not to miss the most beautiful few minutes.

While you're in the area

The atami cherry's peak overlaps neatly with the plum festival at Atami Plum Garden. The grounds hold hundreds of aged plum trees in full bloom, and a footbath where you can warm your chilled body and linger a while. To tour early cherries and plums in a single day is a luxury particular to Atami in deep winter. Soak well in a hot spring, taste the gifts of the sea, and you can savour this early spring to your heart's content. After the shoot, do take time to wander the streets of Atami.

🌸 The earliest spring of all, lit in deep winter — in a single print

This frame of the atami cherry glowing at sunrise is delivered as a true silver-halide print on FUJICOLOR's finest photographic paper. We ship worldwide.

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