The end of March and beginning of April was one of the most eventful few days in recent memory here in the Tokyo area. Not only was April 1st the beginning of a new fiscal year and a new school year (not to mention April Fool's Day), it was also the day that the government announced the name of its new era, the Reiwa Era.

The period also marked the peak of the cherry blossom viewing season, which arrived earlier than usual this year.

Rei Hanada, an advertising planner for Dentsu Inc. who enjoys drone photography on the side, wasn't going to let the opportunity pass. This time, he chose the Meguro River, famous this time of year for its walkways covered by the gorgeous cherry trees planted along its banks. While many photographers enjoy capturing those beautiful pink blossoms from ground-level, the view of Meguro River from high above is still a relatively uncommon sight.

In a tweet with over 250,000 likes and 76,000 retweets at the time of writing, Rei Hanada shared these stunning images of Meguro River as seen from the vantage point of a drone-mounted camera:

Photo by © Rei Hanada (@0hana613) | Tap or click on image to view original size

Photo by © Rei Hanada (@0hana613) | Tap or click on image to view original size

Photo by © Rei Hanada (@0hana613) | Tap or click on image to view original size


More beautiful cherry blossom scenery

Aside from the Meguro River, he has also taken drone photos of cherry blossoms in Nara Prefecture. For example, in Mount Yoshino...

...and above Tanzan Shrine (for a special wedding photo request).


A drone photographer for all seasons

Spring is not the only season to be featured in his work.

For example, the winding roads of Irohazaka in the Nikko and Okunikko area, known for their spectacular autumn colors.

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#いろは坂 その4 #ドローンで撮影

花田 礼 Rei Hanadaさん(@0hana613)がシェアした投稿 -

Shirahama Beach, Chiba Prefecture, in early summer:

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波に乗る前です? #ドローンで撮影

花田 礼 Rei Hanadaさん(@0hana613)がシェアした投稿 -

The historic village and UNESCO world heritage site of Shirakawa-gō in winter.

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#白川郷 をドローンで②

花田 礼 Rei Hanadaさん(@0hana613)がシェアした投稿 -


Transportation networks

He is also fond of capturing transportation networks on sea and land, from dams and bridges to complex highway interchanges.

The Sun Bridge in Kemi, Wakayama Prefecture.

A complex highway interchange in Kyoto Prefecture


More information

If you'd like to see more of Rei Hanada's stunning photography, you can follow him on Twitter and Instagram:

You can also buy his drone photography photo book, 絶景空撮写真:ドローンマガジン Zekkei Kusatsu Shashin: Drone Magazine (Aerial Photography of Beautiful Scenery: Drone Magazine) available on Amazon.co.jp here.


By - Ben K.