As the day (to be capped by fireworks in the evening) wore on in the Kamakura area, more people could be seen wearing traditional summer yukata, just like the people in the ad poster. This scene took place on the Enoshima Electric Railway Line (Enoden or 江ノ島電鉄). I really like this line as you spend part of it going right down the middle of the street in a cute neighborhood and another part going along the beach (with a great view of the Pacific Ocean and Enoshima).

Posted on August 25th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: enoshima, people, trains. Comments: 1

Another photo from the Awa Odori Matsuri in Tokyo last month.

Here is another video from the evening. This time the video is in HD.

Posted on August 22nd, 2010 under Japan. Tags: awa odori, festivals, people, Tokyo, video. Comments: None

Just a view of the friendly people at Kasukabe Station in Saitama Ken preparing to board the next train to Tokyo. We were on our way to Nikko from Tokyo, and I took this photo through the train window.

Posted on August 13th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: people, trains. Comments: None

I took today’s photograph on our trip to Nikko last month. I didn’t realize the base of a waterfall would be such a popular spot for fish, but he was catching (and releasing) fish after fish (or maybe the same one over and over again).

This waterfall reminded me a bit of Hokusai’s Kirifuri Waterfall.

Posted on August 9th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: nikko, people. Comments: 2

Last night (and tonight if you are in Tokyo) was the annual Awa Odori Matsuri at nearby Kagurazaka. The day was very hot so I remained indoors (with AC) until I walked the 30 minutes or so to Kagurazaka in order to arrive by the start at 7 p.m.

Summer nights have that magically feel in the air already. Add thousands of Japanese musicians and dancers to the smiling members of the audience and the evening becomes that much more special.

I have never witnessed the Awa Odori before, and I hope it won’t be my last such experience.

Here is a video I took:

Posted on July 23rd, 2010 under Japan. Tags: awa odori, festivals, people, Tokyo, video. Comments: 4