Monday, June 18, 2007

Postcards From Ena

Freshly planted rice rice fields in the shadow of Kasagi mountain as the sun sinks beneath the smokey blue hills.

It didn't take me long to learn that my lens and I were less than capable of capturing the beauty of landscapes, and so for the past three years, I've smiled over sunsets reflected in flooded rice fields and tides of blue mountains fading into evening, content to be blessed with the privledge. With less than two months to go and the nagging suspicion that there's a very fortunate pre-JET out there searching for info on this mysterious "city", I decided to take my camera along with me for one of my "walks in the rice fields". Yokoso, Ena! Welcome to Ena!

Disclaimer: Actual objects are a million times more beautiful that they appear, especially when complimented by the soundtrack of cicads, choruses of croaking frogs, the steady giggle of running water and the appearance of an occasional fire fly.
One of many traditional houses, surrounded by flooded rice fields.
The Nishio Minshuku, a traditional Japanese bed and breakfast nestled at the foot of the mountains.
A view of the rice fields from the top of a hill behind my apartment.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You know, the pictures here are not what I saw of Ena, and that makes me sad. All I really saw was Rte 19...

What are you going to do when you return to the States?

Whoosh said...

Wow, you are so lucky....

Melissa said...

Alyson! That may be true, but you lived in Sakashita (^-^) I'm sure you suffered no lack of tanbo and traditional homes!

Good question. Who knows? Ideally I will : Return to the states. Eat a million different, delicious, ethnic foods. Play with all my best friends children and look at their wedding photos. Be scared that everyone is grown up. Appreciate my family. Enjoy the superficial greatness of America. Lose weight thanks to the sheer lack of rice product to consume. Realize I left America for a reason. Go somewhere where people like to dance, eat spicy food and speak Spanish.

Just an idea...

Sera: Blessed beyond words.

Melissa said...

Wow... Obviously it wouldn't hurt to brush up on my English! (>.<)