The world of the monochrome

There was the heaviest snowfall in many years around Nara district.
After waking up and open the window I discovered so white snow world outside. It's very beautiful, quiet morning. Then I got a call from a friend that it's a good chance to take  snow views today.
As it's so cold I was reluctant to go outside but that  call encouraged me to go outside.

At the entrance, I hesitated which boot I should put on. I don't have long snow boot. Because we rarely have snow in Nara area. So I put on mountain-climbing boots.

While I was walking to the station, traffic was blocked with a stalled truck on a snow slope. A patrol car was crying to another cars "U-turn". I thought u-turn is tough work on the snow slope. Many cars didn't take snow-tires or chain. Very dangerous. Drivers aren't used to  the snow road.
A commuting bus also had an accident and many commuters had to walk about 2kilometers to the station.
At the station, trains had 18minutes' delay. The announce said " Due to snow, trains run slowly." Japanese trains usually seldom delay but it's no wonder today.

Heavy snow and water of thawing snow soaked  my shoes soon in Nara park.

                                                  Kofukuji-temple ,five-storied pagoda


                                                        Ukimi-do


                                                 Sarusawa-pond


                                              Kofukuji-temple, hakakudo


                                          The approach to kasuga-grand-shrine



                            Ｄeers eat leaves. So trees around here are trimmed at the level of  deer's height.



                                                           Kasuga-shrine




The view seemed like monochrome painting. Black and white and stillness. The snow is only accumulating with no sound. This was a monochrome world like a Japanese ink wash painting.
Japanese ink wash painting flourished in 室町時代（Muromachi-era,1392~1573). As the Ashikaga-Shogun in Muromachi-era protected Zen, Zen culture thrived and influenced on monks who drew the ink wash painting like 雪舟（Sesyu). They depicted actual view or mountain landscape in Japan with the original way.

                                                                 Japanese ink wash painting by 雪舟



          Thank you for visiting. Have a lovely day!