I walked at night in Odawara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Stand by the shore and close your eyes. The sound of waves echoing from a distance is as regular as a heartbeat, and the silence resonates deeply in your ears. Every time the scent of salt air rides the cold wind and brushes against my cheek, the memories that sleep deep within my heart are shaken. The sky had already turned ultramarine blue, and the darkness was studded with stars. A fishing boat with flashing lights floated over the horizon, and the light seemed like a signpost connecting the past and the present.
Odawara Castle, a chalk castle tower that suddenly appears in the darkness. Its quiet appearance is beautiful and dreamlike, as if stranded in a world where time has stopped. When you place your hand on the stone wall of the Hojo clan's castle, which once lived through a war-torn world, 400 years of memories flow into your fingertips along with the coldness. Every time the wind blew, I felt like I could hear the whispers of history. There is something that continues to live on here, transcending time.
Standing in front of the statue of Hojo Soun. His sharp gaze shines in the darkness. It was as if the statue contained the determination, blood, sweat, and tears of the man who pioneered the Sengoku period. This is not just a tourist spot. Only those who have stood here and looked into his eyes know the weight of time. Proceeding further, we arrived at the secluded grave of Ujimasa Hojo. Under the moonlight, the tombstones glow quietly. The name engraved on that stone remains indelibly, even though it has been scratched by the wind and rain. The soul of someone who is a loser, loses everything, and still lives on in history. When I gently placed my hands together, I felt a tightening in my chest.
As I return to Odawara Station, the late night cold air clings to my skin. The aroma of dashi stock wafting through the station seemed to signal the end of the journey. Someone hurries home, someone regrets saying goodbye. At that place, which seems like a crossroads in my life, I suddenly stop and look back. Odawara's nights are not just beautiful. Past and present, people's thoughts and history intersect and speak to each other in silence.
■Photography date
2024/11/29
■How to get there
Odawara Station in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
MAP: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BhBdpamqgqNWC43A7
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travel alone
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhY2oW_i6g73opiShyFi4BXb-sWFIXqkO
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■Photography tools
Osmo Pocket3 DJI
DSC-RX100M3 SONY
*Shot in 4k60p HLG HDR.
*Google Translate is used to translate subtitles for each country.
■Chapter list
00:00 1.Opening
02:42 2. Miyuki Beach
14:33 3. Odawara Castle
35:28 4. Hojo Ujimasa’s grave
39:08 5. Minaka Odawara
45:40 6. Odawara Station
47:24 7. Hojo Soun Statue
■Hashtag
#japantravel#odawara#japanwalk#kanagawa#japantrip#japan