Abstract
The landscape and waterscape around the Tenryu River, a river flowing in the south of Nagano Prefecture, has changed dramatically since the 1960s, a period of rapid growth for the Japanese economy. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the changes that have happened in the past several decades by comparing 170 pairs of photographs of the same places taken at different periods. Analyzing the photographs, the following observations can be made. The edge of the water is made difficult to access because of the presence of a concrete retaining wall. Open spaces on the dry riverbed being rankness with trees and plants are unavailable for recreation. The riverside itself is out of sight, obstructed by high man made flood protection banks, plants and urbanization along the river. Therefore, it can be said that the river has not only become geographically distant but is in fact farther in people's consciousness as well.
