Cherry Blossoms in Japan

Take a moment for serenity: watch this silent footage of cherry blossom season in Japan. Filmed in 1947, it offers an almost dreamlike calm – no trace of the recent conflict, just scenes of locals enjoying an idyllic day beneath snowy-white blooms. 

Shot by Kip Porteous of the Royal Australian Air Force near Bofu (now Hofu), the film is remarkable for its gentle perspective. Porteous, part of the photographic unit, captures not propaganda but everyday life: a woman with a Victory roll, others in traditional kimonos, a man on a penny-farthing bicycle. His framing moves from sweeping skies and blossoms to intimate human detail, suggesting a deliberate choice to emphasise beauty and normalcy over militarism. 

With the war over, occupying soldiers often became like tourists – befriending locals and marvelling at their surroundings. This footage reflects that shift, offering a rare, humane lens on postwar Japan. 

The NFSA holds numerous works by Porteous, including 27 home movies – evidence of a filmmaker whose eye for character and atmosphere would later shape his career as head of features at the ABC.