Currently, powerful methods derived from molecular genetics have resulted in atendency to focus research on the molecular aspects of biology and tend to leavebehind important aspects of the activity of intact plants. However, the intact plantitself has high potential to integrate functions and to respond to diverse environ-mental conditions. To study the activity and development of living plants, nonde-structive techniques are basic and essential. The imaging method is a particularlyimportant tool. Fluorescent imaging is rapidly developing and has become over-whelmingly common in most biological studies. However, imaging utilizing radia-tion or radioisotopes (RI) has a definite advantage compared tofluorescent imagingfrom the perspective of quantitative analysis and indifference to lighting conditions.All of the data presented here introduce our work in water- and element-specificimaging and measurement in plants. However, a very limited number of people haveutilized radiation or radioisotopes (RIs) for physiological research in living plants.Therefore, I would like to present my experience showing how imaging usingradiation or RI holds promise to open newfields of plant research.Although water and elements are essential for plant growth, kinetic studies ofthese two materials in situ are not progressing well.