Few weeks ago, I drove from Tokyo down the coast to visit Enoura Observatory.
The road gradually leaves the density of the city and begins to follow the mountains above Sagami Bay.
By the time I arrived, the pace of the day had already changed.
It was not crowded, and the whole place allowed you to walk slowly and look without hurry.
The observatory was created by Hiroshi Sugimoto and opened in 2017 after many years of planning.
Sugimoto conceived it as a place where architecture, landscape, and the passage of time meet.
Long stone corridors, a glass stage facing the sea, and several structures are carefully aligned with the movement of the sun during the solstices and equinoxes. It feels less like a museum and more like a landscape designed for looking.
I have admired Sugimoto’s work for years.
After seeing his photographs at Hayward Gallery in London, it was quite something to encounter that same extended horizon here in real life, the sea opening wide in front of you.
Seeing his vision unfold again here felt like a small honour..
Walking further down the hill, a narrow path leads into a bamboo grove. The air cools slightly and the sound of the wind moves through the bamboo.
It is one of the most beautiful parts of the visit.
If you are visiting Tokyo, I would recommend this as a day trip.
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On our way further toward Hakone for an onsen stay, I stopped for lunch at 小田原食堂 だん (Odawara Gyokou Meshiya).
Sitting there with the sea and rows of pine trees in front of us, having a fresh 海鮮丼(Kaisendon) from the morning catch, was a pleasure in itself.