Gold in Nature/Sunrise / Sunset / 2026 / Nature / Sunrise / Sunset

• Prize
  Gold in Nature/Sunrise / Sunset
• Photographer
  Hideo Hori, Japan
• Date of Photograph
  2026.6.14

This is Sanno-ike Pond on Mount Ontake in Japan.
It is a crater lake formed by a volcanic eruption.

The surface of the lake lies still, holding waters of a deep cobalt blue.

As the sun begins to rise in the eastern sky, the mountain radiates a dazzling brilliance.

Mount Ontake has long been revered as a site of spiritual devotion, and for believers, the waters of Sanno-ike are considered sacred.

Witnessing this scene, one cannot help but feel the weight of that history and the sanctity of this place.