A New Dawn

This photograph was captured on the day Japan's new Emperor Naruhito ascended to the throne. I arrived in Ise, a small city in Japan's Wakayama prefecture on 1 May 2019. To my surprise the roads were brimming with people and the smell of tasty food from pop-up stalls wafted through the air. It turned out to be the day Crown Prince Naruhito ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne as Japan's new emperor. The day also marked the beginning of a new era in Japan, called Reiwa. As Ise is home to one of Japan's most sacred Shinto shrines, thousands of people from around the country flocked to this small city. In view is Meoto Iwa (夫婦岩), otherwise known as the Wedded Rocks. The two rocks are joined by a heavy rope made of rice straw with the larger rock representing the husband while the smaller one representing the wife. The connecting rope represents the division between the spiritual and earthly realms. Title: A New Dawn Date: 1 May 2019 Location: Ise, Japan Edition 1/1 Artist: Eren Sarigul (ErenJam)