I loved Narcissus because, as he lay on my banks and looked down at me, in the mirror of his eyes I saw ever my own beauty mirrored.
—Oscar Wilde, The Disciple
This was taken at the tail end of rainy season one year. Most people I talk to, Japanese and foreigner alike, dislike rainy season, not only because of the constant rain, but also the high humidity. Me? I love it. Sure, I could do without the humidity, but I don't mind the rain; in fact, I love it, because after every rainfall nature seems to sparkle with life and it is like a green paradise outside. For this reason, when possible, I always go for photowalks after these rain showers.
On this particular day the water at the river was clean and calm, and, upon seeing the reflection of the far bank in it, that quote popped into my head. It doesn't entirely fit the scene, but I have learned not to ignore these strange and somewhat magical moments of inspiration.
BTW, I changed the title format of these posts a little. I noticed the 【】 characters, which are commonly used in Japan, don't display correctly in some browsers and for some people. Oh well. So we'll go with simpler separators for now.
Don't miss the other great photos in the Beautiful Japan photo series!
#1–10 Beautiful Japan Collection
#11 — What a Blur
#12 — The Watcher at the Shrine
#13 — Giant Torii in Road
#14 — Resting Leaves
#15 — The Family that Drinks Together, Stays Together
#16 — Fire in the Sky
#17 — The Streets of Takayama
#18 — Red Path
#19 — Fading Japan
#20 — Relaxing at the River
#21 — Traditional Japanese Gate and Garden
#22 — Daruma-san Korokoro
#23 — Weeping Temple
#24 — Ready for Liftoff
#25 — Pounding the Taiko Drum
#26 — Good Luck Cranes
#27 — Red Leaves at Castle
Thank you for reading. :)
If you enjoyed this post, please like and resteem. Also be sure to follow me to see more from Japan everyday.
I post one photo everyday, as well as some misc posts such as haiku, videos, more Japanese history, and so on. Let me know if there is anything about Japan you would like to know more about or would like to see.
 | David LaSpina is an American photographer lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time. |