Kaimondake or Mount Kaimon: Unexpected Muse
Driving to my destination in Ibusuki, I saw Kaimondake shot up majestically into the sky from the sea. Despite not in the itinerary, its presence was magnetic, and I knew that this would be the highlight of my very short trip in Ibusuki. I wanted to photograph it from as many different sides and perspective as possible in the short time. And so, it has become my muse for the next 30 hour or so.
With little time for research (which I strongly recommend when starting a project), I headed straight to the most accessible viewpoint, the Sebira Nature Park East Parking Lot. The parking lot provided a clear view of the mountain, perfect for the first few frames before descending into the small farming/ fishery neighborhood below.
Kaimondake is what geologist calls an undissected volcano. Whereby, the volcano is relatively young, haven’t had a catastrophic eruption and hasn’t been altered or eroded viciously by the environment and the passage of time. They still maintain a symmetrical, conical shape. This symmetry is what drew me in in the first place. Kaimondake and Mount Fuji are sister mountains so to speak. Kaimondake is commonly referred to as the “Mount Fuji of Satsuma” and yes, Mount Fuji is also classified as an undissected volcano with its near-perfect cone shape.
More so than the symmetry, what captivated me more was Kaimondake grandeur in relation to the tiny town that surrounds it. Its sheer scale in contrast to the tiny town humbles the heart. It reminds you of the nature’s dominance over human settlement.
To make for a complete set in a project I believe a longer time is needed, but we work with what we have and is given. Through a quick search, I found a unique Torii gate that overlooks lake Ikeada painted as a foreground to Kaimondake. Lake Ikeda gave some opportunity to play around with composition using the shrine and dragon statue installations as part of the photograph.
Though I would have liked to develop this into a fuller series, I made the most of what I had at the moment. The experience reminded me of Ted Forbes’ first photography assignment, pick one subject and shoot it ten different ways. Kaimondake became that subject for me. My muse, found by accident, in a quiet seaside town.
