The Last of Sakura

桜吹雪　風に舞う
(Direct translation: Sakura blizzard, dancing in the wind)

Kelvin complained that the previous sakura shot was "stiff and dead" and that "sakura shots should always be petals dancing in the wind, full of life swirling around in the air". It's easy to image a perfect "sakura blizzard" but to shoot it is another question.

I gave it a shot anyway but this was the best I could do. See those white speckles? Those are the petals dancing in the wind. Hope that satiates your sakura fetish, Kelvin! No more sakura shots till next year!

Now, for some background information on the place where I took this shot. I know it won't be of much interest to most people but I'm doing it anyway for my own record.

This shot was taken at Ikegami Honmon-ji (池上本門寺). It's a famous temple belonging to the Nichiren (日蓮宗) sect of Buddhisim, founded by Nichiren himself shortly before his death at the same place. Nichiren was born during mid-Kamakura period. At that time, different sects started branching out from Buddhism, each with its own interpretation on the religion. Nichiren studied Buddhism in different temples from the age of 16 to 32. He then concluded the contemporary teachings of all other schools to be misguided, and put forth his own interpretation.

The land on which the temple was built on was donated by a wealthy feudal lord named Ikegami Munenaka. Obviously, that was how Ikegami city got its name.

The temple is situated by a hillside, providing a commanding view on the city below. It somehow reminded me of the temples and shrines in Kyoto - pagoda, tall trees, spacious compound... Most of the buildings were destroyed in the air raid during World War II except the main gate, the scripture hall, the stupa and the five-storey pagoda, which has been designated as a tangible cultural asset.