The Koayu River in Kiyokawa Village, the "Village of Water"

It was my first visit to Kiyokawa Village in Kanagawa Prefecture, and the moment I entered the village, I was captivated by the beauty of the Koayu River. First of all, I just can’t get enough of the river’s adorable name. And I was mesmerized by the clarity of the water and the beauty of the trees. Although my first visit was in the height of summer, there’s no doubt it takes on a truly magnificent beauty during the fall foliage season. Black-spotted dragonflies, which thrive in clean water, were fluttering along both sides of the road. Every angle along the Koayugawa River felt like a picture-perfect scene, which perhaps explains why it was selected as one of Japan’s “100 Villages of Water.”

Xiao Ayu River