Last year, I took a weekend trip to Mitake-san, a mountain in western Tokyo prefecture. It's a special place, home to an important Shinto shrine (part of which is pictured above). It's easily accessible from Tokyo, so it's a popular destination and is usually overrun with visitors. 

The weekend I went, however, it was anything but crowded. It was a cloudy weekend of cool air and light rain. The mountain was enveloped in clouds, and we hardly saw anyone else the whole weekend due to the weather. We (my partner and I) opted to skip the tram and instead chose to walk both up the mountain and down again. 

In short, the atmosphere was magical. 

The quiet solitude of the forest, surrounded always by huge cedar trees, and everything receding into the mist in every direction.

I brought with me my Hasselblad, one lens, and ten rolls of film. These images are the result of packing light, choosing a singular tool, being present in the moment, and embracing the conditions of the day. 

There is no such thing as bad weather.