Beauty Amongst the Ruins

If you haven't witnessed the ongoing destruction caused by the earthquake and resulting Tsunami in Japan then you are probably not able to access this blog.

 On Sunday March 6th I posted a photo of Todai-ji Temple. in Nara, as and example of "What Makes Wood Beautiful". On Friday March 11th the largest wooden building in the world was spared but much of the country and many lives were not.

Kiyomisu Dera Temple, established over 1200 years ago

With all the terrible destruction and horrendous  loss of life I wanted to provide a break from the images that we have been seeing and refresh the senses with some of the magnificent treasures and landscape in and around Kyoto. Hopefully these are far enough away from the epicentre that they have not suffered any damage.
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Byodoin Temple, 11th century

Nijo Castle, built in 1603

Zen Garden at Konchi-in Temple, perhaps enhanced by the rain, is absolutely exquisite.

Wood - What makes it so beautiful?

It can be as close to nature as a decaying tree stump, a bamboo forest or the grain in a piece of wood. It can be as complex as an award winning design for a sculptured chair.It can be as large as the Todai-ji Temple in Nara, Japan, the largest wooden building in the world.

Tree stumps, Sandbanks, PEC

Todai-ji Temple, Nara, Japan

I think it's a combination of the natural beauty of the wood and man's ability to take that beauty and enhance it to a level that is esthetically pleasing to our visual and our creative senses.

Before

 Sometimes the beauty of our man made creation is not always evident.

After