Lost in Japan

The sun had long been hidden by the time I got to the coast, but no matter, I'd been waiting for less harsh, but more dramatic light to capture a couple of things round here... so I did.

Yes, indeed it does...

I headed back down towards the Yoro Valley area this week. I had a couple of holidays due, and had for a while been trying to match them up to follow a rainy period. This week saw heavy rain all day Tuesday, and me heading to the waterfalls on the Wednesday. It was particularly Awamata that I wanted to see - barely a trickle when I was there last - but I knew its reputation... and it was absolutely spot on; pretty spectacular all right.

I'd heard that Yomogi Fudo falls were also worth a visit after rain, despite their relative inaccessibility (a bit of a walk from the nearest village). Again, spot on; a really beautiful place.

Mount Shakushi is nothing special in and of itself, though it is an accessible and pleasant walk, especially when the autumn leaves are starting to turn, as they were on my visit.

Its primary attraction is the spectacular views it affords of it's neighbour Fuji-san... or would have had the day I chose to walk it been clearer. The weather was not too bad when I set out from the station, but already then it looked like it might not hold. I'd packed the rain gear in preparation but, in the end, I didn't quite need it...

I will return and take some shots more expansive than the peeping cap I got today. Not least because it turned out to be a lovely hill.

So, with a late start on one of the days, I had the chance to head down towards the sea to welcome the light. I saw the dawn over by the Kamaishi Daikannon and on my walk back was lucky enough to chance a family of deer foraging by the river. They tolerated me long enough for me to capture a few shots. The early bird truly caught the worm.

...the night brings silence
but does not hide the pain...

Night had long since fallen by the time my train pulled into Kamaishi station. I dumped my stuff in the hotel and set off across town with my camera. I was heading for one place in particular, but intended to be fully flexible with the route I took. the streets were as I always find them here; cold and quiet. There are pockets of sound of course; music spilling from a local bar, too old girls chatting at a bus stop, a dog barking way off in the distance, but in general silence pervades... there just isn't the buzz of the hubbub that you normally associate with a local shopping street at this time of the day. Instead, people shuffle inaudibly towards their homes, the crossing chimes play to no one, the lights in the harbour shine along with the stars...

I did pass a group of giggly schoolgirls though, or rather they passed me as a snapped another building corpse... and their laughter filled me with warmth and hope. They did …