SURPRISE PROPOSAL PHOTOSHOOT IN YOYOGI PARK, TOKYO

Tokyo Proposal and Engagement Photography:  A Surprise Proposal Photoshoot in Yoyogi Park

Marathon runners duo, B and A, were travelling to Japan in early April where B was going to propose. He wanted it to be a complete surprise. Ideally a quiet private location with some cherry blossoms in the frame. Ordinarily it would be too late but this year he was in luck as the bloom arrived so very late!

After several email exchanges we settled for an early morning surprise proposal photoshoot in Yoyogi Park. The park stays open 24/7 so if you want privacy all you need to do is turn up early. And you get a beautiful morning light as a bonus.

I arrived about half an hour before them to find a good spot. I waited anxiously watching the park slowly filling up with dog walkers, salary men on their way to work, occasional couples, all stopping to look at the blossoms, and in some cases, settling down underneath with their take-away coffee cups.

As I loitered around several good spots in sight I felt increasingly worried that any minute they might be claimed by passers-by before my couple arrived. With it being a surprise proposal photoshoot I would have no control or ability to communicate with my couple and move them to a better spot. I resolved to pick a tree and stick to it. Having sat underneath, I decided I was not going to move until they arrived. I shared my location with him via WhatsApp with a quick note that I was only going to surrender the tree directly to them once they arrive and although she couldn’t know I was a photographer waiting to capture a surprise proposal, it was ok as I looked just like another park visitor enjoying my moment of quiet with the blossoms.

Yoyogi Park has a quiet charm about it, especially draped in cherry blossom petals.