Hiked the two miles up to Punchbowl Falls in a light steady rain to shoot some pictures of the waterfall. I planned on using my dry suit to get past a bottleneck and fallen log (you can just see it in the background) so as to shoot the fall unobstructed. When arriving I saw a single rock stack and smiled at somebody's work. Then 20 feet further I saw two more. I still didn't make much of it. Finally, in a moment where your brain doesn't quite comprehend what it is seeing I realized I was standing in a small area of at least 50 of these stacks. It was a moment out of Blair Witch Project. I was quite alone and it was quite bizarre. It's certainly known that I am a Christian through and through, but if there ever was a moment where I could buy into eastern mysticism and the kami spirits of Japanese Shintoism, this was it. Some stacks were small, but others, like the one you see, were three feet tall. The stackings also show quite a bit of skill in their construction.
Well, I couldn't believe my luck at stumbling across this find. I shot more pictures of the rock stacks than the waterfall. (I couldn't actually get my equipment to the fall as the water was over my head and I had to swim it. I didn't trust myself to actually swim with my equipment. I'm planning on returning with a dry bag.)
What a moment of pure bliss to be at the edge of the creek all by myself shooting this find in the rain. I'll remember it for years to come.
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This is an absolutely magical place you discovered. You're right though, this captures the Japanese aesthetic very closely - many places in Japan are best viewed in light rain, and this find in Oregon would not feel out of place there. I love how the polished stones are all damp and the brilliant greens in the background add a splash of color that complements the subject wonderfully. Jealous that you found this place.
I love the green foliage behind and the wet rocks are also very interesting. I think it might be better to focus more on one of these sets as opposed to the 50/50 slpit. My personal preference is more of the foliage.
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