Ohyama View, June 2001

"Ohyama View, June 2001" graphite

This sketch is taken from a photo I took while travelling Japan with my class back in high school. It was one of the most significant events in my life, and helped to mold and shape my appreciation for travel, art, music, nature and world customs. This particular image is taken atop Ohyama (meaning great mountain). I took a day trip to the mountain which lies about 2 hours from Tokyo near the coast. I was accompanied by my host parents on a beautiful summer day. They explained (as best they could with their limited English vocabulary) the significance of the shrines and imagery along the way to the top of the mount. This is a rather limited view of what I saw when I reached the top, including a few temples and various shrines. Breathtaking.