PhotoShinjuku · Shinjuku, Tokyo

Cherry blossom photoshoot in Shinjuku

In short

A cherry blossom photoshoot in Shinjuku Gyoen costs from $260 for 30 minutes and 15 edited photos within 3 days. Garden entry is ¥500 per person and not included. We enter at the 9 am opening, between late March and late April, and choose the trees in bloom that week.

Starting from: $260
Duration: 30 min
Edited photos: 15

Why here

Why choose Cherry blossom photoshoot in Shinjuku?

Shinjuku Gyoen is the Tokyo blossom shoot for people who cannot pin their dates to the peak. With around 65 varieties, its weeping and Somei-yoshino cherries open first and the double yaezakura on the English lawn follow about two weeks later. The garden has gates, an entry fee and a no-alcohol rule, which keeps it calmer than the riverbanks, and the Docomo Tower over the trees says Tokyo without a word.

How the shoot is planned

How a session in Shinjuku is planned

The route

We meet at the Shinjuku Gate, ten minutes’ walk from the station’s south-east exit, and are through the bag check as it opens. The first stop depends on the week: in early season the weeping cherries near the gate and the Somei-yoshino along the Japanese garden pond; later, the yaezakura clusters on the English lawn. If time allows, we finish at the pond with the teahouse roofs, with one frame from the bridge with the Docomo Tower rising above the canopy. We shoot handheld — tripods need the garden’s permit — and keep the paths clear for other visitors.

The timing

Somei-yoshino usually peak around the last days of March and first days of April; the yaezakura carry the garden to about 20 April. Book the 9 am slot: by 11 the lawns fill with picnics, and weekends in peak week can mean a queue at the gate. Mondays are normally closed, but the garden opens daily in the blossom season. If rain is forecast, overcast light right after it is soft and the petals stay on the paths.

What’s included

What Cherry blossom photoshoot in Shinjuku includes

In the package

15 edited photos
Spot chosen on the latest bloom forecast for your date
Early start, usually before 7:30 am
Private online gallery within 3 days

Fees and permits on the route

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden: ¥500 entry; closed most Mondays. Alcohol banned; tripods and commercial or wedding shoots need a permit from the garden office

Book online

Inspiration

Cherry blossom photoshoot: ideas for your shoot

Frames by photographers on Unsplash, credited below — the mood to plan your own shoot against, not our portfolio.

Photos: Red Shuheart, Anthony Tran, Daniel Bernard, Mika Baumeister, Roman Holoschchuk on Unsplash

Before you book

FAQ — Cherry blossom photoshoot in Shinjuku

What does a sakura shoot in Shinjuku Gyoen cost?

$260 for 30 minutes and 15 edited photos within 3 days, plus ¥500 garden entry for each person in the photos. Kimono rental with dressing is $55 per person at a studio; Shinjuku has few rental shops, so you dress in Asakusa and ride over, or we quote a dresser at your hotel.

Can we do a wedding-style shoot in the garden?

A wedding dress or bridal kimono shoot needs a permit from the garden office, which we apply for once you book. Allow at least a few weeks; for that kind of session the pre-wedding package fits better than a 30-minute blossom shoot.

Can we bring a picnic and drinks?

Food is fine on the lawns after the session; alcohol is banned and bags are checked at the gates in blossom season. Sparkling juice in a glass is a common substitute for a toast frame.

What if we arrive after the blossom has fallen?

Until about 20 April the yaezakura usually still hold. After that, the garden’s azaleas and fresh maple green make a spring session; we tell you honestly a week ahead what will be in flower.

Same shoot elsewhere