Every spring, without fail, my social media feeds transform into a sea of pink. Friends, acquaintances, and distant connections flood timelines with countless photos of cherry blossoms.

Yes, sakura are undeniably beautiful, but …

Living in Japan offers the privilege of experiencing cherry blossoms firsthand. They grace our streets, parks, and even the corners of convenience store parking lots. During the season, it's a challenge to find a spot devoid of them. Their ubiquitousness makes the incessant online photo documentation feel, at times, redundant.

Photographs often fail to do justice to the ephemeral beauty of cherry blossoms. The subtle hues, the gentle sway of petals in the breeze—these are sensations to be felt, not just seen. Capturing them through a lens strips away the multisensory experience that makes hanami (flower viewing) so special.

The uniformity of seasonal cherry blossom posts turns our feeds into monotonous galleries. Perhaps we can take inspiration from the very nature of cherry blossoms, which symbolize life's fleeting moments. Instead of attempting to capture and immortalize them, why not simply enjoy and let them pass, as all beautiful moments do?

So, next time the cherry blossoms bloom, maybe we should put down the camera, take a deep breath, and immerse ourselves in the moment. After all, some memories are best cherished in the heart, not on a memory card.