Sunday, August 23, 2020

Komorebi

The Japanese language has a word for light streaming through a forest: komorebi. 

Photo of komorebi by James Gurney


The word refers to sunbeams interacting with leaves and atmosphere as the rays pass through the trees and fall in dappled patches on trees, the forest floor, or curtains in a cabin.

It also conveys a sense of nostalgic longing for something or someone far away.

3 comments:

Bob said...

Thank you for teaching something every day. Too bad English has no single word for this -- you needed no fewer than five to describe it. What causes the "rays" or "streams" of light showing in the photo? Is it dust in the air, a physical effect of the camera lens, or something else?

James Gurney said...

Bob, this photo was taken with fog in the air just below the level of the treetops.

Bevan said...

That's a great word and an awesome photo.