Back in December, before winter arrived, there was still some color around so I made one last trip hunting the Fall colors.......
We headed to Ganryu-ji Falls, a place I had only been to once before many years ago.
There are 4 falls in all, descending a total of 120 meters.
The falls are named after a temple that stood near the base, Ganryu-ji.
The temple is gone, though it was still here 8 years ago. The falls will also soon be gone. The valley is going to be flooded behind a new dam. The stated purpose is flood prevention, but the real reason is to get central government funds to pump into the local construction and concrete industry.
As it was there was very little color still around.
This last picture is from 8 years ago when the temple was still here....
Jake - your posts are always so interesting, yet also a little sad. In a way (at least from a Western perspective), you sometimes have the role of documenting the last will and testament of much of the spiritual side of Japan. Though thankfully, most of it still remains a celebration of a living history.
ReplyDeleteI guess that there is quite a close Japanese community of like-minded people recording the local traditions and customs. Are they an active voice in Japanese society?
Not sure what is sad..... for me the continued uglification of japan is sad..... the continued migration to the cities means a loss of local cultural diversity as opposed to the national invented traditions.... and also the loss of the older generations..... so many of the Japanese who have grown up since the sixties are so brainwashed with nihonjinron that they know little of the real history of japan, just the sugary Tv version...
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