How many times have you fallen in love in your life? I fell in love with tranquility in front of this mirror-like pond. No matter how many loves you've had or how few, you'll always remember your first love. I will always remember this time.
To the Pond Where the God of Mount Hotaka Resides, the Northern Japanese Alps
After having breakfast at the lodge, we crossed the bridge and started walking towards the pond where the god of the Northern Japanese Alps resides.
My friend had rented an Insta360 for the day and was attempting to shoot, but I will publish the video at another time, maybe...
Turner's Color Paintings
The area around the Myōjin Bridge is open and you can go down to the riverbank of Azusa River. The clear stream was a mysterious blue with a greenish hue, but I could see through to the bottom of the river. The beautiful colors of nature looked like a painting by Joseph Mallord William Turner.
The World Beyond the White Torii Gate
In the midst of the lingering beauty of the Azusa River, a white torii gate appeared in front of us.
Torii gates are everywhere in Japan, but there is always someone in their place. Who?
It is the god, the Ujigami, who has protected the land since time immemorial. In Japanese Shintōism, the world is believed to be inhabited by Yaoyorozu-no-kamigami 八百万の神々 eight million gods; the number eight million means countless. I believe that this belief is more of a Japanese identity than a strict religious teaching. Then Japanese people go to shrines for celebrations such as the New Year and the birth of a child, weddings are held in Christian churches, and when they die, Buddhist monks chant sutras at their funerals. It may be hard for foreigners to believe, but it's true. From our point of view, there are already eight million gods, so a few more wouldn't be a problem.
Let me return to our journey. After going under the torii gate, there is a café where you can take a break in this natural setting.
Further in, we found a large sacred tree waiting for us. At the foot of the tree, a small shrine was enshrined. There are many places like this all over Japan, and this means that this tree is inhabited by a god. If you come there, please do not damage or deface the trees. "The dragon and the peacock are keeping watch!"
That Moment Took My Breath Away
As I looked toward the sunlight, I saw a breathtaking sight that I had never seen before through the vegetation. My heart was beating fast, my legs were shaking a little, and I approached it as if I were treading fearfully through the darkness. At the time I knew it wasn't 'horrible', but I knew it was 'horribly' beautiful.
There was no god, but I felt them. Directly underneath Mount Myōjin, in the earsplitting silence, the morning sun reflected off the mirror pond illuminated the area. I looked into the polished surface of the water and saw a small fish shaking my face.
Then...
time is,,,
stopped.
Have you fallen in love this Myojin Pond like a mirror?
Myojin Pond like a mirror: a place to fall in love with tranquility.
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