Set beneath the fleeting cherry blossoms of Kyoto, this photograph captures a quiet, intimate moment between a couple walking hand in hand along the stone steps of Ninenzaka. Overhead, an ancient tree reaches its delicate branches across the sky—one that stood witness to generations, and yet, just two days after this photo was taken, it fell, having finally succumbed to age. Now gone, the tree lives on here, frozen in this moment of light and love. The composition was framed to balance its gentle arc with the rooftops that echo Kyoto's timeless rhythm, guiding the viewer’s gaze toward the as