walking in a Foreign City
It had been a while since I had the opportunity to go on an overseas business trip. The achromatic buildings and cobblestones seen from the window of the hotel where I arrived quietly stimulated my eyes, which had become accustomed to the disorderly, billboard-filled Tokyo landscape. With camera in hand, I took time out from my work to capture the scenery of the three cities.
I have traveled around the world before and seen many different sights, but the exotic cities I visited after the Corona disaster had subsided were a strange experience, a mixture of freshness and nostalgia that evoked memories of the past.
Scallop shells lead the way
Santiago de Compostela is one of the three Catholic holy places and the tomb of St. James. The pilgrimage to Santiago is a journey to this holy place, and many people have been attracted by the beautiful and long road that stretches 800 kilometers. Its symbol, the scallop shell, has long symbolized "reincarnation," according to an old saying.
This summer, I had the opportunity to actually walk the 117-kilometer pilgrimage route from the city of Sarria in northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela, the goal point, on my own feet. As I had not had the opportunity to go abroad in recent years due to the Corona disaster, I think I went on the pilgrimage in the hope that there would be "something" on the Santiago pilgrimage route that would help me reevaluate my life.
There were rainy days and sunny days, light and shadows, uphill and downhill. There were conversations with friends, new encounters that transcended religions and cultures, and time for solitary reflection. Everyone walks the journey with scallops hanging from their backpacks, sometimes with a glass of good wine and a Spanish omelette on the side.
I don't think there was "something" there that we were expecting. When one simply accepts things as they are while walking along the path, one is freed from the "must" and reborn. I realized that the path has such power.
About Me
Masato Shinohara
After graduating from university, while working in system development and business planning at an IT manufacturer, I studied service design methods at the graduate school of Musashino Art University for two years from April 2020. Through art classes at the graduate school, I was deeply impressed by the fun and depth of expression.
I have been running as a hobby since 2013 and have participated in many marathons, including the Médoc Marathon in Bordeaux, France. I love to eat and drink, and enjoys visiting local places to taste the local delicacies and beverages. After completing my graduate studies, I started learning Photography at Abox in 2022, and is now interested in expressing my enjoyment and feelings through "photography".