Hinoji Valley See the river on both sides of the mountain as one continuous flow

At a lookout with a wide-open view, I stopped, holding the strap of my small bag. The mountain in front of me jutted into the middle of the valley, with the river visible far below on either side. At first I thought I was seeing two separate stretches of water, but it was the same river winding around the mountain. The valley’s shape, like the character in its name, was slowly coming into focus.

Standing beside my friend, I let my eyes travel from the river on the left to the river on the right. A pale gravel bank edged the water, with an autumn-colored slope rising above it. Tracing the bend of the river brought the scale of the mountain into view, too. The valley was deeper than I expected, and for a while I couldn’t find the words.

I pulled my black jacket a little closer around me as the wind brushed my cheek. Even under a cloudy sky, the river’s color stood out clearly. Here, instead of looking only at the leaves nearby, I could take in autumn across the whole mountainside. Holding my bag strap, I let my gaze drift slowly from the ridge down to the river below.

“I wonder how much of the river will fit in the photo,” my friend said, holding up her phone. I leaned over to look at the screen and asked her to include plenty of the central mountain, too. I wanted the photo to show not only the river’s bend but also the mountain between its two visible stretches. Seeing it in person shaped the way I wanted the picture framed.

After taking in the valley, I wanted to make a detour for a bowl of Iya soba, too. I’d love to talk with my friend about the shape of the river over a bowl of those short, thick noodles. Until now, Hinoji Valley had been only a place name; now I picture its winding river and autumn-colored mountain. I think this view will come back to me when I see the name again at home.