Masakazu Sugiura’s Oukakou beautifully captures the sakura season in Kyoto. Here images of the sakura trees are captured for the viewer in monochrome, portraying both the sublime nature of the blossoms in and amongst its wild and nurtured beauty.
"The Sakura cherry blossoms in Kyoto bloom all at once, during the 'Seven Days of Cherry Blossoms' between the end of March and early April. As this name implies, the confetti of petals scatter after a mere seven days or so. This fleeting beauty of the falling petals becomes a metaphor for both Life and Death in the Japanese mind, and these concepts are not mutually antagonistic. These photographs were mainly taken when the people were sparse, between sunrise and early morning as well as on rainy days."
― Masakazu Sugiura
