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[2008年11月08日(土) ]

[3rd story out of 4 * read the 1st * read the 2nd * 日本語版]

The lake

Some of you might think of a lake as a place for watersports.
Indeed!
Here, however, I would like to introduce some photos in the hope that they will throw light on a few aspects that have drawn my attention.

The presence of this boat has struck me as bizarre.
It has been moored there for a long as I can remember.
No one will try to use it: it is full of small pebbles and would sink, not float.
I wonder why it has come to be as it is right now.
A typhoon or a storm would have sunk it.
There is absolutely no reason why someone would keep the stones in such a place.
It is obviously useless and isn’t even worth being called an attraction.

Another peculiarity is this small shrine.
It isn’t much more than an altar where a small, brightly dressed Buddha statue usually sits.
The stark contrast between its plain exterior and the elaborate decorations on the inside reveals the double-edged standards of many things human, unattainable ideals rather than essence, discernibly non-reciprocal obligations we tend to impose on others.
For one reason or another, the Buddha seems to have been on vacation when I took this picture.

Right in front of the altar we can see two pipes coming out of the hill. They must have been spouting cold water for ages.
The following pictures illustrate the difference between photo and syashin. (Read the article)

　photo 1

The first photo is the one I like best. It’s bright, but that’s exactly how I feel whenever I cycle there. The water coming from the pipes looks just beautiful!

　photo 2

The second photo reveals some of the background. The small dot near the center, just above the fence is a lone angler. Click on the photo to enlarge it.

　写真　３

This is what I would call a “syashin”. It is much more realistic than the two photos, but I think the water flowing out of the pipes is not enough highlighted.
Recently fashion magazines tend to prefer photos to syashin.
Brand-name goods, however, seem to stick to "reality".

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