Last Light
I had a good and long day at one of my favorite spots in Japan, the cliffs over the river Arakawa in Chichibu, Saitama prefecture. I took this photo as I was leaving, the last weak rays of light coming in from the west as an old lady is packing up her stand selling roasted ginnan. Minutes after this it turned pitch black. Here is a 2009 post about Arakawa river. Sorry for the blurry picture, I always shoot freehand.
Tokyobling's Blog 
wow, looks so nice and peaceful away from it all.
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Thank you Andy. It is very remote, geographically it is not far from Tokyo but navigating the little local railways through valleys and over moutains, it feels like a different country almost! I spent over 4 hours on the trains to get there and back.
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wow you truly are dedicated to exploring everywhere 🙂
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Thanks Andy! One has to move while one is young! (^-^;)
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True true! in your case though, you sure do have a passion for photography that takes you everywhere 🙂
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Looking at it, the stand gives such a warmth against the night scenery and really makes you want to come over.
It’s strange to say but when I first saw it, it reminded me of a scene in an anime I’ve seen. But it really makes a nice change to the ordinary hustle and bustle.
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Thank you Sabine! Yes, and while I took it, it also felt quite sad. All the tourists going home, still early in the evening but suddenly so quiet and peaceful.
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Another great photo that has captured the atmosphere! I love dusk. It’s so mysterious. I hope the lady had a good sale. Ginnan brings back another memory from the olden days. There were Ichou trees on the shrine grounds not too far from my house and my older brother and his buddies used to go there and hit the ginnans off the trees with stones. He would bring home a big bagful, burry them in the yard until the meat fell off leaving the seeds. Then my mother would roast them. The roasted seeds are yummy but the fresh fruit is super stinky!
And Arakawa Kudari looks amazingly similar to what people here like to do. They go down on the similar rafts and also in canoes down the Illinois River. My family sometimes joins the trash pick-up crew and gets a free ride plus a hot dog lunch afterwards.
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Thank you Emma! I have actually never tried the roasted Ginnan, I don’t want to buy a whole packet of them (it’s one of those things you shouldn’t have too much of in one go). But the next time I am with a bunch of friends…! Thanks for the nice story about your family! I used to live near a temple that were surrounded by the trees and the smell every year, from the rotting fruit that people squashed into the pavement was not very pleasant at all! (^-^;)
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Wow very powerful shot! I think those shots that are never composed or set up are always the best. I love candid!
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Thank you! I agree. They’re hard to get, but every now and then… (^-^;)
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You say blurry, I say wonderful. Maybe it’s because of the slight blurriness that the clouds appear to have movement. I feel like I can tell a whole story just based on this photo. There is a quietude to it, but a warmth that comes from the light illuminating the darkness of evening, the sun having left the sky for that day only to return in the morning. The moon peeking out at the people (although you don’t see it, but you know it’s there), from the distance it sees them going about their business. And the two pumpkins look like little balls of sunshine, portable sunshine. The outline of the mountain frames it all so perfectly. There’s more, but I think I’ve rambled on long enough.
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Thank you! I love your poetic readings of my simple snapshots! (^-^)
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I hope she has had a good sale. It’s so serene and peaceful. Great shot!
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Thanks Penman! (^-^)
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