“243. Water Fall in Hakusyu” Watercolor by Mariko Irie
I painted this “Water Fall in Hakusyu†in watercolor in 2007. This waterfall is a part of Ojiro River.
Every year after I finish business in Tokyo, I stay in the mountainside, which is surrounded by the South Japanese Alps.
This Ojiro River is very close to there.
The water of the area is famous as one of best tasty water in Japan.
So Suntory, which is the best Whisky maker in Japan built their factory there, because the water quality. They have a museum and gift shop on the property. They sell their special whisky only at the shop. It’s very mild and has wonderful flavor.
Of cause there are Sake makers as well. One of Sake maker, Shichiken is the gold medal winner. Every year they have a celebration week of opening their casks, and open to public for tasting middle of February. My friends, who love Sake, get together and go there to have variety sake during the week. And stay over night at his second house and drink more. Good thing, one of them can’t drink, so he is a driver all the time. Anyway my friend e-mailed me that they got too much snow, so they are afraid, if they go there, maybe they might be trapped by snow, and then they can’t go home. So they decided not to have the party this year.
They didn’t have so much snow, which is 150cm deep for over 30 years. People forgot or no equipment to deal with snow? My friend told me several villages were isolated by snow.
I e-mailed to my other friend who has a second house in the village. I wrote that it might be so beautiful scene. Then the wife e-mailed me that her husband has shoveled snow for five days already. Wow. Just think about doing that, my back started sore.
I found a beautiful video along the Ojiro river: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2wyTTafL8I
I hope you enjoy it.
My painting “Water Fall in Hakusyu†is displaying at the Northcoast Artists Galley through April 2nd.