This first picture is of a river that runs straight through parts of Hiraka City and appears in my neighborhood. I am not sure on the purpose, but I assume that it protects people during rainy season or typhoon season when water levels may pose a threat to the neighbor hoods and city areas. I also think it serves as some kind of drainage for house water, but not polluted water.
I really like this river though because it is peaceful with lots of wild life. People can easily access it at some sections with stairs to walk their dog, throw their kid into the water, or to sit on the edge and relax. It is clean and enjoyable for everyone. Some parts are not pretty, but river represents city life: flowing peacefully yet always busy with work, school, or izakaya.
When I was in Frankfurt, Germany over the summer, I was able to walk along the Main River every day. It was beautiful and very accessible. No concrete boundaries or other things that seem to separate humans from the nature. Rivers in Japan are problematic to many people because they have been modified with concrete so much and often times have protective fences that make appreciating the beauty of the water difficult to say the least. So I find you focus on the river as your examination of your neighborhood to be very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI would ask that you be careful with your assumptions. Rather than assume, can you ask someone and/or do some research? It would make for stronger posts. Talking with people looking at spiders by the river would be a good start.
The spider picture is nice. The reflection of your lens is interesting. And is that Gaidai in the background?