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Waiting for Spring, Shiga, Japan

Like anywhere else, urbanization is rapidly changing landscapes of rural Japan.  Every time I go back to Japan, my native country, I try to travel in the countryside to look for the scenes that evoke a sense of nostalgia, something to remind me of my childhood -- before it's all gone.

A long winter with thick snow is common in regions close to the Sea of Japan.  My family and I were driving home from the seaside by way of the Road of Mackerel or "Saba Kaido" when we made a brief stop in Kutsuki, a tiny village along the way.  I was intrigued by the name of the road and learned a little piece of history there: Salted mackerel was one of the delicacies enjoyed by the people in the ancient capital, Kyoto, and used to be transported from the Sea of Japan on this ancient highway to the capital; hence this name.

When I stood on the river bank in Kutsuki, I saw a quaint village in front of me sitting quietly in the snow and it made me shiver.  Maybe because of the piercing chill or maybe because of a sense of déjà vu, the return of distant memory long forgotten of my childhood in Japan.

- Visit my website to see more Japanese landscape paintings.

- Read related blog posts: My Favorite Subjects, Japanese Landscapes.

Waiting for Spring, Shiga, Japan I

Media: Original watercolor on paper

Image Size:

Mat/Frame: No

Purchase: Sold