From June 24th to July 9th, a scenery photograph exhibition centering on the four seasons of Tochigi Prefecture, a place located in the Kantō region of Japan, opens to the public in Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou.

The year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the normal diplomatic ties between Beijing and Tokyo. And 2023 celebrates the 30th year of the affinity between Zhejiang and Tochigi. Under this foreign relation context, 50 photography works are selected to display the natural beauty and folk culture of Tochigi in Chinese audiences' presence, to drive two peoples closer and deepen mutual understanding.

Tochigi Prefecture, sitting in the middle of Japan, is home to 1.91 million people whose integrity and industriousness earn a big name.

It’s geographically advantaged, which alludes to the close distance to Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, and a belt of mountains at a height of over 2,000 meters. Culturally, listed by UNESCO as a site of World Heritages in 1999, the Shrines and Temples of Nikkō attracts millions of tourists both at home and abroad with its beautiful scenery and well-preserved cultural relics. Taking advantage of city clusters linking Tokyo, the past 50 years have witnessed bumper agricultural production acclimatized to local conditions and booming automobile making.

Landlocked and away from the Pacific Ocean coastline, the distinctions between seasons are highly noticeable. Heavy rainfall is typical of summertime. In winter, strong cold winds and rain are regular occurrences. In a word, the complex geography and sometimes unpredictable weather conditions are raw materials for shooting gorgeous photos.

Below are some photographs on display.

Duarase reservoir is a perfect wetland for animals and plants. In autumn, Mount Fuji is in a distant vague view. 

Pink and fragrant cherry blossoms

Leo and the running Mighty Atom

Students are practicing shooting targets on floating boats with arrows. It’s a tradition passed down from Japan’s Heian period（794-1192）.

Mount Nikko-Shirane, at a height of 2578 meters. Its top is snow-covered and glittering. 

Editor: Fan Wenwu