A crow and the cherry blossoms, No. 1. from “ka ra su ( The Crows )”

ka ra su ( The Crows ) was photographed in Yoyogi Park from 2017-18 and was exhibited in Tokyo Curiosity 2020 Shibuya at Bunkamura The Museum in 2020. 

Yoyogi park is located in the center of Tokyo metropolitan district adjacent to Meiji shrine. It covers a total area of 54 hectares, which is 5.5 times larger than Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris. A wide range of birds can be observed thanks to the rich nature. It is clear that crows are the most conspicuous birds there. The crow population in Tokyo dramatically increased in the 1990s, peaking in 2000. Since then, the number has been on a downward trend following the city’s initiation of culling efforts. In 2018, approximately 2,300 crows inhabited Yoyogi Park. Visitors are often overwhelmed by the presence of crows. Although they are often regarded as harmful animals, when I first encountered them close in the park, I felt the unknown bold nature came across. Crows are energetic, elegant, and fascinating to observe; they evoke the multilayered relationship between the minority and the majority in the urban landscape. 

The information board in the park lists up the types of birds that can be observed. However, there is no mention of crows. Although crows are the most conspicuous birds, they are tacitly regarded as invisible.