This gallery comes from recent residence in Japan in 2004-2006. As a long-time desert Southwest dweller I was captivated by precious back-country waterfalls and streams around Nikko, where most tourist attention goes to a vast assemblage of 17th Century temples and memorials. These hidden natural beauties are preserved with reverence, yet may be visited in near-solitude. For the solitude alone they could be revered in busy Japan, but experiencing them you can imagine the hearts of the romantic poets like Basho bursting with love for their land. These images contrast with the public ceremony of pilgrimage to the top of Mt. Fuji to watch the sunrise. The photo trip to Fuji was planned long before arriving in Japan; the back-country experience in Nikko was an exciting surprise.

My photos capture a miracle of public worship and love for a national tradition in an unexpected way, I hope. Nearly all of this work is shot with 35 mm B&W infrared film, and most of that with a very wide angle lens for intimate immersion into Japan.