The Kinugawa River carves its way through the rocky gorge, its waters rushing past untouched forest and scattered relics of human presence.
In the foreground, a small manmade bath sits in quiet contrast, its still water clouded with algae after decades of neglect. Once a place to soak in the mineral-rich warmth of the river’s edge, it is now just another forgotten piece of the landscape.
Beyond, the river flows clear and fast, its currents undisturbed by time. But in the distance, two towering hotels and a narrow footbridge cut through the otherwise pristine scenery, a reminder of both the allure and the overdevelopment that reshaped this valley. On the far bank, a concrete structure built to draw spring water from beneath the earth stands as another marker of human intervention.
This fine art photography print captures the delicate balance between nature and industry in Kinugawa Onsen, a place where both forces have shaped and resisted one another for generations.