Water is the source of life. It exists all around us while constantly changing its form, from clouds and fog, to rivers and lakes. Blessed water nurtures a myriad of life forms and beautiful sceneries on earth. It not only quenches our thirst, but it also enriches our hearts. Because Japan particularly has an abundant supply of fine water, the country has been blessed with a beautiful natural environment.

However, the vestiges of the forests and woodlands in which I played as a young child have all disappeared. I watched as lumps of concrete structures went up as if to hide the mountains and transform the scenery. Thinking about it today, I wonder if the fear I felt despite my young age were the result of my instinctive perception that the cycle of life was being severed and the world, wrought by consumption and waste, was heading toward destruction. In a quest for convenience, we are losing the landscape of life—a collective of all living beings— that has the power to nurture life. And thus, we are losing our future.

Hokkaido is known for its abundant nature, but even there, what could truly be considered a natural environment only remains in a few limited places. To talk of the vast wilderness of Hokkaido is an error in perception. The reality is that the remains of nature can only be found in isolated, forgotten corners of vast tracts of farmland.

I shot these landscapes as I searched for "life-giving water." The many moments that I was drawn to by water are precious remains amid the rapidly changing times. I hope the images communicate the richness and grace that water brings to us. And I pray that scenes such as these will be passed along unchanged to the next generation and be everlasting for the future of us all.