During a recent visit to the Tokyo National Museum I took today’s photo of the main room in The Gallery of Horyuji Treasures (法隆寺宝物館) in Ueno Park. The room doesn’t really look like this to the natural eye. I set my camera on the floor in the corner and left the shutter open for 8 seconds to get this view.

The room is actually very dark with a small light on each of the dozens of Kanon (観音) statues. I found the atmosphere to be amazing and very un-museum like. Instead of things lines up against the walls, there is nothing against the walls. Instead, there are the “glowing” pedestals lined up in neat rows. The statues are from different countries and artists spanning a couple hundred years (mostly 7th and 8th Centuries). But they are all somewhat similar in size making them both unique and uniform.

Posted on July 26th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: buddhist, museums, ueno. Comments Off on Horyuji treasures

One last pic, for now anyway, from Gyosen Koen. The irises were still looking good, more than a month after they initially bloomed.

Posted on July 25th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: gyosen park. Comments Off on Another from Gyosen Park

In many Japanese parks, including Gyosen Koen, you can find a little pond surrounded by fishermen. This guy caught one just as his friends were arriving. They applauded and here he is acknowledging their congratulations.

Five seconds later the fish was released. I wonder how many times that fish has been caught and released?

Posted on July 24th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: gyosen park. Comments Off on Japanese fisherman

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: 5

It was a bit more difficult to leave the house during rainy season, not so much because of rain but because it was so hot and humid (and we have AC in our apartment). In a rare break in the clouds I took today’s photo at Gyosen Koen (行船公園) near the Nishi-Kasai (西葛西) Station on the Tozai Line. I’m a big fan of Japanese rock gardens.

Posted on July 23rd, 2010 under Japan. Tags: gyosen park. Comments Off on Zen rock garden in Gyosen Park