Mount Fuji (富士山の夕焼け)

Posted on January 2nd, 2014 under Japan. Tags: enoshima, mt. fuji, sunset. Comments: 3

Inuyama Castle fireworks

I have no plans to travel this year. Hopefully that will change.

Posted on January 1st, 2014 under Japan. Tags: fireworks, inuyama, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600. Comments Off on Happy New Year!

Ryochoin (亮朝院) on New Year’s Eve

Most temples and shrines in Japan will have some sort of relatively low-key event planned for this evening. Unlike summer festivals, New Year’s Eve in Japan is usually celebrated by watching TV at home (maybe in part due to the temperature outside). However, most people will head out for Hatsumode (初詣) tomorrow or soon thereafter rather than participate in the ritual just after the stroke of midnight.

Today’s photo comes from the afternoon of New Year’s Eve 2009. We didn’t stick around our neighborhood Ryochoin to see what happened there. Instead, we went to the balloon release on the other side of Tokyo, an event that no longer happens. Ryochoin is decorated in New Year’s garb in today’s photo. For what it normally looks like, click here.

Posted on December 31st, 2013 under Japan. Tags: buddhist, nishi-waseda, shogatsu, temples, Tokyo. Comments Off on Tokyo temples on New Year’s Eve

夫婦恵比須

Even though this ema says it is from the Meotoebisu Jinja (夫婦恵比須神社), I’m pretty sure it was hanging at Kushida Jinja. Maybe the one is a sub-shrine of the other? This ema is sure to provide the wisher with some big fish satisfaction in their business (or at least that’s the literal meaning of some of what is written thereon).

Posted on December 26th, 2013 under Japan. Tags: ema, fukuoka, kushida jinja, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600. Comments Off on Kushida Shrine Ema

Christmas 2009
Shibuya umbrellas in the rain

Posted on December 23rd, 2013 under Japan. Tags: rain, shibuya, Tokyo. Comments Off on Tokyo Christmas