April 6, 1999. A row of cherry trees at the entrance of a residential district in Ikoma City, Nara Prefecture.

The cherry blossoms of Ikoma are at their peak. This is my favorite photograph of the cherry blossoms in Ikoma. This row of trees at the entrance to a residential district is a five-minute walk from the Ikoma station in the direction of the mountains. It was five years ago that I discovered this place. It happened to be nighttime blossoms and they were so beautiful. Since then, I have visited every year.