Today is the long-awaited opening of the Tokyo Skytree. With the high demand to check out Tokyo from the top, you would have had to have won a lottery months ago to ascend the Skytree this week. Supposedly, you can get a ticket a bit easier beginning in mid-July. In any case, admission isn’t cheap. Look to pay between 2,000 and 3,500 yen (> $40 US) to check out the view from the Tokyo Skytree.

I took today’s photo a couple years before the Skytree was completed from the Rainbow Bridge. You can see the under-construction Skytree to the far right in this pic.

Posted on May 22nd, 2012 under Japan. Tags: buildings, rainbow bridge, sky tree, Tokyo. Comments: 1

My random photo of the day is of this ballet festival in Tokyo. For more photos from this event click here.

Posted on May 19th, 2012 under Japan. Tags: kids, people. Comments Off on Japanese ballerinas

In the USA, or probably any country other than Japan, you wouldn’t normally find two different religions occupying the same grounds in harmony. In Japan, it is fairly common. Today’s photo is from the grounds of Hasedera (長谷寺), a Buddhist temple. Yet Kakigara Inari is a Shinto Shrine. Japan takes “coexist” to a whole other level.

Posted on May 18th, 2012 under Japan. Tags: hasedera, kamakura, shinto. Comments Off on Kakigara Inari (かきがら稲荷)

While sitting down for a rest at Hasedera in Kamakura I saw this praying mantis (とうろう). This was the only photo I got of it as when I went for a better angle it jumped right up on me and that was the end of picture time.

Posted on May 17th, 2012 under Japan. Tags: hasedera. Comments Off on Japanese Praying Mantis 螳螂

Today’s photo is a blast from the past, 2009 to be exact. Bobby Valentine was managing the Lotte Marines into the basement of the league standings in Japan, and the Boston Red Sox were heading for another post season in Major League Baseball. Ever since Bobby left, the Marines have been a force to be reckoned with. This year they are leading the Nippon Professional Baseball standings. Where is Bobby? Leading the Boston Red Sox into the cellar of the American League East. The good news is we don’t have to hear him on ESPN anymore.

The shirt worn by this fan is the jersey of Tadahito Iguchi who had just returned to play in Japan after four years playing MLB, mostly for the Chicago White Sox where he was pretty good for his first couple seasons.

Posted on May 16th, 2012 under Japan. Tags: baseball. Comments: 1