STORY 02A solo trip by a man who does as he pleases

• Using a slightly longer paid vacation, I set out on a solo trip that I had longed to take. I brought along the single-lens reflex camera that I started using when I pick up photography later in life. My wife’s pictures got stored here and there in albums as our family grew, but the photos that a man at my age takes reflect the state of the world filtered through years of life. (…is what I mutter to myself.)

  I wanted to stay somewhere out of the way. A place nestled deep in the bosom of nature with an open-air bath would be perfect. I wanted to take pictures of nature in a place like that.

  I decided to go to a hotel that my wife and I had visited in the past. It is a single-building hotel at the end of a valley in the mountains. If you take the Azusa limited express for two hours from Shinjuku, you will arrive directly at Chino station, without the need to change trains. A shuttle bus will come to pick you up, so it is easy to get to, but the hotel is in the middle of the wilderness, and I remember not seeing anyone living nearby at all.

  The first thing that surprised me when I arrived was the lobby, which looked like a library. I was told that there were more than 30,000 books lining the shelves, including many good ones from the 1950s and 1960s. I was surprised to see how much the hotel had changed. As I was looking around, the woman at the reception desk asked me if I would like to reserve a private open-air hot spring. I thought, “I’m not a young man here with his wife. I don’t need that sort of thing.” But she told me, “In this season, it is wonderful to bathe in the open-air hot spring, with the thick fresh greenery all to yourself.” I am a little ashamed of myself for having made a reservation.

  

• I left my luggage behind and began to explore the surroundings with my camera in hand. The woman at the desk told me how wonderful and overpowering the natural environment along the valley was, so I immediately took the stairs down to the river, which is about a seven-minute walk from the hotel.

  Tree roots were stretched out and tangled everywhere. There was beautiful moss growing naturally in the thick groves. The colors of new life seemed to suck me deeper into the woods, and the simple word “green” would not do it justice. The air was rich with negative ions that seem to wash away the pollution from deep in my lungs. I couldn't help but wonder, is this Yakushima Island? How could such an overwhelming, untouched natural environment be waiting for me so close to the hotel, just a few steps into the trees? I began taking photos, entranced.

  

• As I went deeper into the valley, I came across a large waterfall. It made for a refreshing sight among the fresh greenery. People say that it is wonderful not only at this time of year, but also in autumn when it is ablaze with color, and in winter when it is covered with snow.

  A small cottage stands at the foot of the waterfall. It is a great place to eat a packed lunch gazing at the majestic waterfall, or to draw sketches of the rich natural environment. The hotel staff clean the cottage area regularly, which makes sense considering how well kept it is and how perfect a place it is for travelers.

  I lost track of time. I kept taking photos, and no one else ever came by. Maybe the reason the environment here is so beautifully preserved is because it isn’t very well known. I secretly hope that no one else learns of this place that is so precious to me!

  I was very satisfied with the unexpectedly wonderful photos I had taken, and when the appointed time came, I went to the private open-air hot spring to see what it was like. I settled myself down in the midst of the deep, sweltering greenery along the valley, intoxicated by the roaring sound of the river. What the woman at the reception desk told me was true. For a man to have the natural environment all to himself in an open-air hot spring is a wonderful, heart-cleansing experience.

  

• While having a beer at the bar, I picked up a copy of Ikiru Bokura by Maha Harada, which caught my eye from among the wonderfully arranged bookshelves. I remembered that the author also lives in the Tateshina area. As I was reading, I was struck by the description of a place called Mishaka Pond. I couldn’t help but ask a staff member if it was a real place, and he said, “While it is a man-made pond, the mysterious mirror-like reflections on the surface are truly picturesque. It was even the location of a Sharp AQUOS commercial, a brand of televisions known for its high resolution.” I had actually been thinking of going to see the famous Shirakaba Lake, but these untouched waters seemed more suitable for my purposes. I resolved to immortalize its mysterious appearance with my camera the next day.

  It feels good to be excited about something. I am constantly busy in my normal life, so being able to do what I please and go where I please all by myself to think about whatever I want is the best way for me to reward myself. I decided to read the book I found that night while sipping some whiskey.