Heavenly hanami landscape plays out like a scene from a Ghibli anime film. 

If you’re looking for the best place to view sakura cherry blossoms in Japan, you’ll see a lot of guides recommending popular sites like Ueno Park in Tokyo, Hirosaki in Aomori and Goryokaku Park in Hokkaido. However, according to a new viral video, we all need to put Nara Park at the top of our list, because when conditions are just right, it turns into a captivating cherry blossom wonderland.

Kiki Photoworks, who was in the area shooting pre-wedding photos for a couple in kimono, was in the right place at the right time to capture this stunning moment in the park, and its beauty is so otherworldly that people have been likening it to a scene from a Studio Ghibli anime film. The conditions on this particular afternoon all came together perfectly to create one of the most breathtaking sakura scenes we’ve ever seen.

Take a look at the sublime video below:

The video was taken at Nara Park, famous for its thousands of free-roaming deer, at 4:26 p.m. on 8 April. While this was a day after the country was placed under a state of emergency to help curb growing cases of coronavirus, those who couldn’t work from home were still allowed to continue working in Japan, and people were asked to avoid gathering in confined spaces and having loud conversations in large groups.

Under these conditions, Kiki Photoworks agreed to go ahead with the photo shoot, which had been planned months in advance, as it would’ve been difficult to postpone due to the couple’s wedding schedule. So the three of them headed to the park in separate vehicles, and kept a safe distance between the photographer, the couple, and other people in the park whilst taking photos.

As this was the last shoot for the couple, and the photographer was temporarily shutting up shop from the next day as a coronavirus countermeasure, Kiki Photoworks says the scene they encountered at the park was “like a gift from God”. The short video capturing the tranquil moment in the park really is heavenly, with the colours, light and subjects all showing us just how breathtaking Mother Nature can be.

The way the deer are placed in the frame is simply perfect, with the two in the centre drawing our eye into the scene as they gaze out towards the park. At one point, they even flick their ears in unison.

The two deer further afield slowly meet and rub foreheads, locking their antlers together for a moment before feeding on the grass together.

As the golden rays of the late afternoon sun send dappled light through the brilliant, pink cherry blossom canopy, sakura petals float gently on the breeze, landing on the backs of the deer, who seem to be just as awed by their surroundings as we are.

A closer look at one of the deer shows how grazing here results in them picking up cute sakura petals on their noses.

Since posting the video, the clip has gone viral around the world, gathering millions of views across all of Kiki Photoworks’ social media accounts.

It’s easy to see why, as this is one of the most stunning sakura scenes we’ve ever witnessed. And that’s saying a lot, as we’ve gazed out at cherry blossom “carpets”, sakura trees covered in snow, and taken train rides through flowery pink canopies.

Source: YouTube/キキフォトワークス via Japaaan
Images: YouTube/キキフォトワークス 
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