2023 Kyu-Furukawa Rose Festival
The 2023 Kyu-Furukawa Rose Festival was a letdown. It wasn’t the garden’s fault, it was mine. I’ve been searching for a new job lately, which has taken all my time. When I got to photograph the flowers, they were on their way out. Still, I did my best.
Let me tell you about the job. I used to be an English teacher. It was what I did for twenty-nine years but the world is changing. I needed to make a change. Tour guiding is something that has always interested me.
A long time ago, I had thought about doing it. At that time, a license was necessary. Now it isn’t. And it wasn’t hard to find someone who would give me a chance. After training, my first tour is just around the corner. I’m nervous!
Let’s get back to the 2023 Kyu-Furukawa Rose Festival. The flowers weren’t great, but they were good enough for photos. It was a matter of walking around to find the best. That took time because the sun had treated them harshly.
The weather had been hot. Even though it is May, we’ve seen days of over thirty degrees Celsius. That is warm for this time of year. I wonder what summer 2023 will bring. And it was very bright, so I didn’t use my flash for many photos.
I wish I had got there earlier in the season. Nothing is worse than a garden only half filled with flowers. I’ll get another chance. Roses bloom twice a year. October 2023 should be better. Hopefully, I’ll get there in time!
2023 Kyu-Furukawa Rose Festival photo gear:
- Camera: Fujifilm X-T3
- Lens: Fujifilm f/2.8 R LM WR
- Flash: Godox v860II
There is an article about Kyu-Furukawa Gardens on this website. Click here to read it. If you have been there, let us know your thoughts. Leave questions and comments below. I’d love to hear some voices.
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
More rose festival articles:
External (Japanese) 2023 Spring Rose Festival Websites:
- 旧古河庭園 春のバラフェスティバル (many ads on this page)