I stand upon an outcrop jutting into the Pacific Ocean some 120km south of the town where I live. The waves, created by a typhoon swirling further out to sea, crash at my feet, sea spray whipped up by the wind rains down. A continuous swell stretches out before me, waves rise and fall like a dragon’s jagged back, their crests like spiny fins.

The word ‘ryu’ is translated into English as ‘dragon’ yet, unlike dragons in Western folklore, to us they signify divine protection, are often represented as water gods, and are considered a presence to be revered.

Perhaps that is why I, despite being of little religious faith, feel “something” as I stand upon this rock with the power of nature before me, humble and reverent towards it. I do not usually pay it much heed, but this feeling passed down through time by generations that came before, is also inherently part of who I am.

Needless to say, the dynamism and roar of the waves, the spray from the surf, and the pressure of the wind on my body all combine to soothe a gloomy soul.



Hikaru Konno is a photographer based in Tokyo, Japan.
To view more of Hikaru Konno's work, please visit his website.