We took a trip to explore the land that inspired this year's 2018 Hobonichi Techo cover "The Land of Sedona."

This is Sedona, Arizona in the United States.
It has long been considered sacred ground to Native Americans.
Its beauty draws tourists from all over the world.

The red rock mountains of Sedona are a symbol of the area recognized all over the world. One of the famous mountains in the area, Cathedral Rock, is named after its cathedral-like shape.

Slide Rock State Park is a famous natural water slide in the area. Nearby Cathedral Rock is another popular swimming hole called “Red Rock Crossing.” While Slide Rock tends to draw crowds, Red Rock Crossing provides a relaxing place to spend your day by the water. People of all ages lounge along Oak Creek River here.

Even dogs enjoy the great open outdoors.

Oh, what’s this?

It’s a shirt!

It looks like someone’s dyeing this white t-shirt in the red soil.

This Red Dirt Shirt is a staple of Sedona souvenirs.
Some people say they can feel the energy of the earth when they wear these naturally-dyed shirts.

Here is a shop filled with red dirt shirts.
You really can see how the red earth color is an important symbol of Sedona.

There are many souvenir shops in Sedona.
In addition to items like red dirt shirts, you can find many wares with woven Native American designs.

Here’s a blanket decorated with a traditional design that’s been passed down through generations.

This striking turquoise blue is a popular color among Native American jewelry.

There are many works of public art in downtown Sedona. Here is a statue of Changing Woman, a Native American legend about a goddess who continually grew young and old with the changing seasons.

In addition to the public art, there are instruments that are free for anyone to use. These often attract passerbys, and the city air is often filled with music.

This unique set of statues has several layers of interaction. A statue of a young girl takes a picture of a statue of a cowboy painting the mountains in the distance.
Nearby, a local musician performs music on the street.

There were many Old Western movies filmed in Sedona. Handprints of some of the famous movie stars are on display around town.

No matter where you look in Sedona, the views are breathtaking. You can sit on the patio of the local food court and enjoy the gorgeous red sunset over dinner.

Sedona’s views are filled with great stretches of rocky red land and mountains.

This year’s World Folk Patterns: The Land of Sedona cover is inspired by a combination of this beautiful scenery and Native American patterns.

Carrying this beautiful cover around with you is sure to fill you with energy!

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