Rain Gods

Ragnarok retells the finale of Norse mythology. A story of the destruction of life on this planet and the end of the gods themselves: what more relevant myth could any modern writer choose? Just as Wagner used this dramatic and catastrophic struggle for the climax of his Ring Cycle, so AS Byatt now reinvents it in all its intensity and glory. Ragnarok is the story of the end of the world.

Mount Ishizuchi, the highest peak in western Japan, has been venerated by local residents for centuries. A sea of clouds often envelopes its soaring ridge line, soaking the mountainside with abundant rain. Water takes many forms here, pooling in marshes, flowing in streams, rising in turbulent fog and freezing as rime and ice. It creates an awe-inspiring landscape of green mossy mounds and gorgeous tapestries of deciduous and evergreen trees. This program highlights some of the many delights that await visitors in all seasons.