Formerly known as "Creepy-chusetts, Strange-chusetts".

Saturday, August 31, 2013

The Landscape of Yasujiro Ozu: Onomichi, Hiroshima


Just for a week, I went back to my home in Hiroshima. It's been for five years? since last time I went back. Well, I don't like an airplane trip. Wish I could afford a business class or something. Twelve hours in a sardine tine is asking too much for me. What could I do if I wanna get out and breath some outside air? No, obviously.

Enough gripe. I know, I know.

Onomichi cats are slim and have big eyes and ears!

Many readers know about Hiroshima. But do you know about Onomichi? It's about an hour away from Hiroshima. It's a quaint city sandwiched by an inland sea and a steep hill. The contrast between the industrial ocean side and the tight-knit residential area with steep, narrow, winded roads filled with old houses, temples, and young artists' hang-outs makes a unique landscape that fascinates many poets, writers, and movie directors.


For example, have you watched Yasujiro Ozu 1953 movie, Tokyo Story? The majority of the scenes are based in Tokyo, but  do you remember the town where the mother fallen into a critical condition? The town a locomotive gushes through along the lines of pine trees. Where the youngest daughter and the widow make an emotional conversation about a loss of loved one.

That's Onomichi. Now you know what a lovely place it was... and it is.

I've taken a bunch of photos in Onomichi. I'll make a photo series about the town to mark the end of this memorable summer. Enjoy a nostalgic and exotic trip to Onomich!


Google map: Onomichi, Hiroshima, Japan

2 comments:

  1. how was it to be back after such a long time!?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's great. It's my home country, but I almost felt like visiting a foreign country!

      Delete