1999 Volume 11 Issue 1 Pages 95-102
Sun glitter is the reflection of the setting sun on the surface of the sea. Sun glitter covers a wide area of the sea while the sun is high, but narrows to a single golden bar as the sun sets. The reflection is constantly scattered and refracted by the waves, producing an exceptionally attractive pattern that should be considered a major scenic resource.
This research examines the physical characteristics of sun glitter, and demonstrated that sun glitter exerts a powerful emotional and physiological effect on humans. This research focuses on utilization of sun glitter as a scenic resource in design of coastal facilities. Field research was conducted along the Sea of Japan coast, where coastal architecture has been designed to take advantage of sun glitter, and comparisons were made with idealized images of sun glitter.
