The bell under the thatched roof next to Sounji in Hakone is said to have been used by the famous daimyo Toyotomi Hideyoshi when he attacked Odawara.

Posted on January 19th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: buddhist, hakone, japan pictures, thatch roof. Comments Off on 早雲寺 Sounji Bell

This is the corner of the outside of the grounds of Higashi Honganji (東本願寺) in Kyoto along with a pine tree (松) early in the morning before the sun has been able to break through the clouds.

Posted on January 18th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: buddhist, japan pictures, kyoto, pine. Comments Off on Higashi Honganji

I took this photograph from a boat on Lake Ashi near Hakone. No cropping has been done to the image, but I did have my camera on 12X optical zoom. The sky was nice and clear (other than the few clouds shrouding the top of Fuji) as it had rained during the night before.

Posted on January 17th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: hakone, japan pictures, mt. fuji. Comments: 1

I have a couple more issues of Nihongo Journal available. One includes a cassette tape for audio practice as well.

Prices are $14 an issue + a flat $3 shipping no matter how many issues you purchase. Audio cassettes (when available) are an extra $5 each. If your address is outside of the U.S. shipping will be higher.

Email me if interested.

Posted on January 16th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: nihongo journal. Comments: 2

One of the more famous places in Japan for viewing the cherry blossoms is Maruyama Park (円山公園) in Kyoto. We didn’t plan to go there, but ended up in the thick of things anyway. We had a splendid little lunch of yakiniku with C.C. Lemon to wash it down next to these guys who were enjoying their Asahi Beer (advertised in yesterday’s blog entry).

Cherry blossom viewing parties (花見) are a common sight in late March and early April in most of Japan. This picture captures the essence of many of those parties: food, friends, beer, kimono, lanterns, and Mickey Mouse. Actual cherry blossoms are an optional bonus. We were lucky enough to have them on this occasion. We did a 花見 in Tokyo, which was just as crowded, without any blossoms yet on the trees.

Posted on January 15th, 2009 under Japan. Tags: cherry blossoms, food, japan pictures, kyoto, people, sakura. Comments Off on 円山公園の花見