Japan diaries III: the human legacy

When we are gone, what will remain of us? We, humans, have an incontrolable desire to remain, to challenge the inevitability of death, and we do this mainly through art: we create things that were not in this planet before we arrived here and wish for them to stay as long as possible for future generations to remember that we were. The beautiful selfishness of human art is just that, a desire of permanence, more than anything else. Judging wether the pieces we create are worthy of any praise or not is another issue altogether, and I'm not here to attempt that; after the entries focused on people and nature, here I want to present a few captures that portray the way Japan has expressed (and still does) his own personality and sensibility through the ages. And no other place could be more fit to start this journey than Kyoto, once the mighty capital of the Empire, today a city proudly anchored simultaneously in the past and in the present.

Kinkakuji Temple, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

Inari Shrine, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

Inari Shrine, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Mizumidera Temple, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

Mizumidera Shrine, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Ryoanji Temple, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

Mount Kurama Lantern, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Before Kyoto, however, it was Nara which held the title of capital during the VIII century of our era, and even though it lost that position to Kyoto later on, it still remains a beautiful, heritage-rich city were nature coexists with history and even with modern times better than any of the other big cities of Japan.

Lanterns and shadows, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Kasuga Taisha Shrine I, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Kasuga Taisha Shrine II, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

The deer, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Be it big structures or minimalist, small scale constructions, Japan never ceases to amaze the viewer with its unashamed attention to detail; parks and gardens, ponds and houses are kept in a precise, pristine order that, within the boundaries of this rigid arrangement, let nature express itself with curious freedom. Kanazawa, which hosts probably Japan's best know garden, is but one example of that.

Nomura-ke Residence Garden, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Flower and water, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

The fish, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Dripping water, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Geography has never been an obstacle for human civilization; we have fought our way through the centuries adapting the land to our needs, and this is crystal clear in Japan, a mountainous country were any small plot of land is domesticated in order to become fit for human settlement and survival. The Gassho-style houses of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama are a perfect example of this will to tame nature in order to make it habitable and fertile.

Shirakawa-go I, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

Shirakawa-go II, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Shirakawa-go III, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Shirakawa-go IV, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Red in summer, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Shirakawa-go V, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Ainokua I, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

Ainokura II, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

But not all efforts are geared towards colonization or even to productive agriculture; souls also need a home, and us, humans, have always listened to their otherworldly desires and tended to them. Shrines or temples, statues or mourning monuments, our lands are full of places that serve no other purpose but to find piece of soul, to meditate, to pray. To rest.

Myojin Pond Pier I, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

Myojin Pond Pier II, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

Taisho Pond, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

There are so many other places I visited during my three weeks in Japan that representing them all, even minimally, would require an amount of images that I don't even have, for many times my memories didn't leave my eyes and stayed solely there, never making their way to the memory card stored within my cameras. A few random captures, however, can give a brief idea of the range of places I encountered, walked, experienced, loved. Tokyo gardens, Totsukawa boats, Himeji walls, Takayama paths, they all felt my lonely strolls without a single complain, and those are moments I will always remember.

Shinjuku Gyoen I, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

Shinjuku Gyoen II, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

Totsukawa onsen, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

Himeji Castle, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

Cloudy Takayama, GH3 + Panasonic Leica 42.5mm

The path, GM1 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

We long to survive the test of time, though I'm afraid all needs to eventually disappear in order to make room for new things to appear, and there is no other better symbol of the impermanence of all things that fire: the fierce element capable of devouring entire cities that fades away completely and leaves no trace behind that time cannot heal. Such are the memories I cherish so deeply within my heart from this unforgettable trip: snowflakes that will melt, quietly and without resilience, but only after leaving a brief shiver behind.