The Urabandai area is located in the Western part of Fukushima prefecture in Japan, and was mostly unaffected by the March Nuclear incident.
Radiations levels measure at around 0.15-0.25 micro Sievert/hr which would represent average level in most cities of the world.
The tremendous natural beauty of the place never shows as powerfully as during the fall colors.
Yet, many people sadly deprive themselves from the opportunity to see this beauty with their own eyes because of some unfounded fears. Tourism is down 30-40% compared to 2010 and many accommodations are starting to go bankrupt.
This B&W image is a reflection on this sad situation. This is
The tree after.
More images of the same location:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bernardlanguillier/sets/72157627781481847/Cheers,
Bernard