Pix4Japan

2024-10-15

Heiwa-no-Torii

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Heiwa-no-Torii: A Sacred Gateway Meets the Shores of Lake Ashinoko

芦ノ湖に佇む箱根神社の入口・平和の鳥居

This torii gate serves two significant purposes. First, it marks the entrance from the shore of Lake Ashi to Hakone Shrine, which sits 213 meters (700 feet) up on the hill behind the gate.

Unlike most traditional torii gates, the Heiwa-no-Torii (Gate of Peace) is built directly over the water. Erected in 1952, it commemorates the Treaty of San Francisco, where Japan concluded peace with 48 nations, formally ending World War II.

Torii gates symbolize passage into divine territory, denoting the boundaries of a shrine’s sacred grounds. Proper etiquette includes bowing slightly before passing under the gate. When possible, it’s best to enter through either the right or left side of the pathway, as the center is reserved for the enshrined deities. Avoid walking around the gate altogether whenever possible.

The Heiwa-no-Torii is not easily accessed from the water, so most visitors approach the gate from behind and pose for photos with Lake Ashi as a stunning backdrop. However, as the gate serves as an entrance to an active sacred site, standing slightly to the right or left of the center pathway is the most respectful way to honor Shinto tradition and Japanese culture.

In 1964, a plaque inscribed with “平和” (Peace) was mounted on the gate to celebrate the 1,200th anniversary of Hakone Shrine and Japan’s hosting of the Tokyo Olympics. The calligraphy was personally written by former Prime Minister Yoshida Shigeru, who signed the peace treaty on Japan’s behalf. Since then, the gate has been affectionately known as the Torii Gate of Peace.

Location: Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 13:36・2024/10/15
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP
105 mm ISO 100 for 1/400 sec. at ƒ/10

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Hummin' Bloom

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Hummin' Bloom: Autumn’s Reflections in Titanium
「ハミングブルーム」秋色が踊るチタンの窓

“Keiko + Manabu” is a creative team led by Keiko Uchiyama (内山敬子) and Manabu Sawase (沢瀬学), blending their architectural expertise with artistic flair to craft immersive designs. Based in both Seattle and Tokyo, their work spans urban spaces, public installations, and private residences.

One of their standout creations is Hummin' Bloom, a titanium art piece that harmonizes with its surroundings while reflecting nature’s palette.

Crafted from 5-mm titanium plates, the surface treatment transforms Hummin' Bloom into a living canvas, reflecting light in a spectrum of rainbow hues. Warmer tones at the base echo the earthy woodland floor, transitioning into cooler blues that mirror the sky above Hakone’s mountain peaks.

Its design invites exploration: each crescent-shaped cutout frames a unique view, shifting in color and mood depending on your angle and the light. On sunny days, the hues are bold and vibrant, while overcast skies lend a subdued, dreamlike quality. Mist or fog enhances its surreal presence, as the curved openings transform your perspective with every step.

Personal Tip: The best way to experience Hummin' Bloom is to get up close. Peer through its cutouts, walk around it, and let each angle reveal a fresh connection to the surrounding landscape.

Location: Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 10:26・2024/10/15
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 160 for 1/40 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Velvia/Vivid film simulation

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Air Burial

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“Air Burial”: Reflections of Tibetan Wisdom in Glass
「鳥葬」：チベット文化の叡智を映すガラス彫刻

American artist Roni Horn, renowned for her contemporary works in painting, photography, sculpture, and drawing, often draws inspiration from nature’s forces and their shifting interplay with our perceptions of objects and landscapes.

My photo captures autumn leaves reflected in a pool of water atop Horn’s glass sculpture, Air Burial. The cylindrical piece, measuring 131.4 cm tall (51 in.) and 142.2 cm in diameter (56 in.), was crafted through a process Horn developed in the 1990s, where molten glass is poured into a cast and set over months. The result is a translucent exterior and a transparent, almost liquid-like interior. The water collected on the surface creates two layers of reflection, merging nature and art.

The title, Air Burial, references the Tibetan funerary ritual commonly known as a “sky burial.” This practice reflects a deep understanding of life’s impermanence, with the body returned to nature to sustain other life—a sustainable tradition shaped by Tibet’s harsh environment. Horn once explained that she envisions her sculpture undergoing a similar organic transformation, gradually breaking down and merging with its surroundings, echoing the essence of the sky burial.

Location: Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 10:17・2024/10/15
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 160 for 1/800 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Velvia/Vivid film simulation

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Iron Tree

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Ai Weiwei’s “Iron Root”: Art Rooted in the Struggles of Uprooted Lives
アイウェイウェイの『鉄樹根』：根こそぎにされた人生を映し出す芸術

Ai Weiwei has been using trees as a powerful symbol in his art since 2009. His sculptures, often made of wood or iron, are like puzzles—crafted from pieces of trees he gathered from different parts of China. This idea was inspired by a tradition in Jingdezhen, where dried tree sections with intricate forms are sold as decorative pieces for the home, appreciated for their beauty and contemplative nature.

The sculpture in my photo is one of Ai’s iron tree trunks. At first glance, it looks like an old, weathered, dead tree trunk. But if you tap on it, you’ll realize it’s hollow and made of iron—a clever twist that adds an unexpected layer to the experience.

Ai Weiwei’s “Roots” series, which includes works like this, is about more than trees. It speaks to the idea of being “uprooted,” reflecting on global issues like the struggles of refugees, the destruction of Indigenous lands, and even Ai’s own experiences with displacement—both his arrests in China and his life after leaving the country.

For those unfamiliar, Ai Weiwei (b. 1957) is a world-renowned Chinese artist and activist. He’s known for creating sculptures, installations, films, and photographs that spark conversation and sometimes contention. His work often challenges authority, which has made him a controversial figure in China. After leaving the country in 2015, he’s lived in places like Germany, Portugal, and the UK.

Location: Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 10:08・2024/10/15
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 160 for 1/20 sec. at ƒ/4.5
Velvia/Vivid film simulation

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Adamo e Eva

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Adamo e Eva: Masaru Bando’s Bronze Compassion in Hakone
アダモとエヴァ：箱根に響く板東優の青銅の共感

This bronze sculpture, titled “Adamo e Eva” (Adam and Eve), was commissioned by the Pola Museum of Art in Hakone, Japan, in 1994. The artist, Masaru Bando (板東優), often begins his creative process by exploring the human condition and its emotional expressions.

The Pola Museum features 13 of Bando’s bronze sculptures, which range from abstract to figurative. These works vary significantly in size, from pieces small enough to fit in the palm of a hand to monumental installations requiring transportation by crane and truck.

On his website, Bando explains, “Many of my sculptures contain an underlying social-political concern. With traditional materials and timeless themes, I wish to portray the universal nature of contemporary situations.”

The sculpture I photographed, “Adamo e Eva,” reflects Bando’s deep compassion for those who suffered during the Siege of Sarajevo, a harrowing event that occurred during the Bosnian War (1992–1995).

Born in 1952 in Hokkaido, Japan, Bando began studying sculpture in Tokyo before pursuing further education in Rome, Italy, at the age of 22. His talent quickly gained recognition, and he started exhibiting his work in Italy and Paris. By the 1980s, Bando was creating commissioned pieces for museums, parks, and corporate facilities in Japan, the United States, and Korea.

Today, Bando divides his time between studios in New York and Japan. At the Pola Museum in Hakone, most of his larger works lean towards abstract figures, while others charm viewers with playful motifs of children or dogs.

Location: Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 10:03・2024/10/15
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 160 for 1/70 sec. at ƒ/4.5
Velvia/Vivid film simulation

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Light Odyssey

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Light Odyssey: Reflections in Glass and Nature
《Light Odyssey》: 光学ガラスが織りなす森の光と影

"Light Odyssey," created by SHIMURAbros, is a permanent installation at the Pola Art Museum in Hakone, Japan. This striking artwork, crafted from copper, stainless steel, and optical glass, offers a captivating interplay of light and reflection.

SHIMURAbros (シムラブロス) is an artistic duo comprised of Yuka Shimura (b. 1976) and her brother Kentaro Shimura (b. 1979), who hail from Yokohama—a city I now call home. They have gained recognition from Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs and have exhibited their works in cities across the globe, including Tokyo, Singapore, Taipei, New York, Perth, and Vienna.

Regardless of the weather—whether it’s a bright, sunny day or an ethereal, foggy afternoon—Light Odyssey transforms its surroundings. The glass surfaces reflect brilliant patterns of light or cast moody, shadowy frames, offering an ever-changing and deeply satisfying visual experience.

Location: Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 09:58・2024/10/15
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 160 for 1/20 sec. at ƒ/4.5
Velvia/Vivid film simulation

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Japanese Cobra Lily

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Vibrant Reds of the Japanese Cobra Lily in Hakone’s Woodlands
「箱根の森で見つけたカントウマムシグサ（関東蝮草）」

The natural trail winding through the woodlands around the Pola Museum of Art in Hakone, Japan, offers visitors not only stunning outdoor sculptures but also a variety of fascinating flowering plants that thrive alongside the artworks.

In this shot, I captured the vibrant seed pod of a Japanese cobra lily (Arisaema serratum・関東蝮草). This woodland perennial, known for its striking appearance, is a hermaphroditic flowering plant that produces these vivid red berries between mid- and late summer.

One intriguing fact I learned about this plant is that its roots are highly toxic—and it relies on flies for pollination! As someone with little knowledge of botany, I was genuinely surprised to discover that even the much-maligned fly plays a vital role as a pollinator. Am I the only one who didn’t know this?

Location: Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Timestamp: 09:40・2024/10/15
Fujifilm X100V with 5% diffusion filter
ISO 160 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/2.0
Velvia/Vivid film simulation