Catch a Glimpse of 'Sakura' in the Winter
Most people would say that winter is the worst time to go out and look at cherry blossom trees in Japan, and, generally, they’d be right. The iconic flowers won’t be blooming for several months. But, if you cannot wait for spring, winter is a fantastic time to go check out the cherry blossom trees along the Meguro River in Tokyo.
「目黒川みんなのイルミネーション2017」
— ゆうじ(Shiba)@Photo (@Yuji_48) December 12, 2017
品川区大崎・五反田の冬に咲かせる桜イルミネーション。
この電力の発電にはなんと周辺住民や店舗から出た使用済み食用油から精製したバイオ燃料で発電。
それが肥料となって冬に桜を咲かせています。#大崎 #五反田 #目黒川 #illumidelic #PASHADELIC pic.twitter.com/3qBbtqZrCy
No, they don’t have special flowers that bloom in December, but they are incredibly beautiful at Christmas time since the trees are decorated with pink, sakura-colored lights.
とりあえず1枚だけアップしとく。大崎は目黒川のイルミ。 #大崎 #目黒川 #イルミネーション pic.twitter.com/5D3YdlewF0
— うっきー (@chackn3064) December 1, 2017
In what’s become an annual event, a stretch of the river between the Osaki and Gotanda train stations, where rows of sakura trees straddle the waterway, is lit up nightly between 5 and 10 p.m.
光輝く桜並木!!冬の桜が今年も目黒川を彩る!! https://t.co/FFJOFUIQGP #イベント #イルミネーション #目黒川 #冬の桜 #大崎 #五反田 #品川 pic.twitter.com/3aCbIju3KO
— スポーツ飲料メーカー エナジークエスト (@eq_sports) December 14, 2017
The area is a popular spot for hanami (cherry blossom viewing parties) in the spring, but the winter event entices families, friends, couples, and lone photographers to stroll along the river even when spring festivities are still far off.
大崎駅付近の目黒川のイルミネーション、冬の桜®の様子 pic.twitter.com/40dJ4hT3j8
— U5 K (@YouGoY5) November 30, 2017
The most dynamic views happen when you get a bit of a vantage point and can see both the lights themselves and their reflections on the water’s surface, giving you four rows of pink light.