TITLE: Japanese Sketch

Seaweed nets in Chitahanto, Japan.
During a recent visit to Japan I was captivated by the graphic and symmetrical patterns of the poles and nets and spent several days wandering along the coast trying to capture the beauty of these man-made structures.

The coastline is populated by thousands of seaweed farms where a type of seaweed, Nori is cultivated. The farms are made of nets supported by rows of bamboo poles. Nori is well known as the outer wrap on many types of sushi. Nori also covers onigiri (rice balls) and serves as a seasoning in a variety of foods including rice and soups. In Japan, over 600 square kilometres of coastal waters are given to producing 350,000 tonnes of Nori, worth over a billion dollars. Nori is one of the world's most valuable crops produced by aquaculture.

AUTHOR: Paul Byrne (Ireland)