Gezicht op een laan met Japanse sierkersen in Uenopark in Tokyo, Japan before 1897

Kazumasa Ogawa made this photograph of Ueno Park in Tokyo, capturing an avenue of Japanese cherry trees, using the collotype process he helped pioneer in Japan. During the Meiji era, when Ogawa was active, photography was intertwined with Japan's complex relationship with the West. As Japan modernized, photography became a tool for documenting and presenting its culture to the world. Ogawa skillfully navigated this intersection, both embracing Western technology and celebrating Japanese aesthetics. The image evokes a sense of serene beauty but also speaks to the cultural values associated with cherry blossoms, or sakura. These blossoms are deeply symbolic in Japan, representing the transient nature of life, beauty, and renewal. The gathering of people under the flowering trees suggests a communal appreciation of nature and shared identity. This photograph creates a serene, nostalgic reflection on culture, impermanence, and collective identity.