I found myself mesmerized and captivated by the sight and sound of water flowing and spilling down the face of this rock wall located in the dark recesses of a pine forest high in the mountains of Japan.June is the rainy season in Japan, and a time when water can be seen and heard falling, flowing and pooling everywhere. This is especially true in the mountains, canyons and valleys of the Japan Southern Alps. Deep in the forest the sound of streams and hidden waterfalls is a constant companion, while in the villages water is heard coursing through ancient canals and waterways cut along the side of mountains. This water is used to irrigate rice and wasabi radish fields where the water spills from one terrace to the next and then winds through village streets along stone gutters carved and set into place by ancestors long deceased and forgotten.
