1 yen coins jammed into rock overhangs on Shosenkyo hike

I was surprised to not see more hikers on my way up Shosenkyo (昇仙峡). Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised given that it was a weekday and also the hottest day of the year (reaching more than 40 degrees Celsius). The top was fairly crowded though as most people drive to near the top or take a bus there. I took a bus to the bottom and walked my way up and down. The scenery was amazing. Along the way rocks created ceilings for part of trail and people had given up their coins to the cracks in the rocks.

Posted on November 12th, 2013 under Japan. Tags: hiking, kofu, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, shosenkyo. Comments Off on 1 yen coins (一円硬貨)

Giant head on guardian in Cheongwangmun Gate @ Beomeosa Temple in Busan (South Korea)

Posted on November 11th, 2013 under Korea. Tags: beomeosa, buddhist, busan, Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED Telephoto Lens, Nikon D600, temples. Comments Off on Beomeosa guardian head

Tochoji pagoda (Fukuoka, Japan)

According to wiki, Tochoji is most famous for having the largest statue of a seated Buddha in Japan. However, the one in Kamakura is several meters taller. Maybe they meant the largest wood statue of the Buddha. In any event, there is more to see at Tochoji, including the pagoda, pictured above, and the paintings of hell.

Posted on November 8th, 2013 under Japan. Tags: buddhist, fukuoka, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, temples, Tochoji 東長寺. Comments Off on Tochoji pagoda and Buddhist prayer beads

Buddha statues between Tenryuji and Togetsukyo Bridge

With the heavy tourist traffic between Togetsukyo (渡月橋) and Tenryuji (天龍寺) an otherwise missed tofu restaurant attracts lots of attention with these curious statues of the Buddha next to their parking lot. Here is a photo from the same statue garden from a different season.

Posted on November 7th, 2013 under Japan. Tags: arashiyama, buddhist, kyoto, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600. Comments Off on Playful Buddha statues in Arashiyama

Finger puppets in Tokyo’s Yanaka

The details in these displays in the window of Shokichi can keep me staring for long periods of time. Head on in for a puppet show.

Posted on November 6th, 2013 under Japan. Tags: Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, Shokichi 笑吉, Tokyo, yanaka. Comments Off on Yanaka’s Shokichi Finger Puppets (谷中 指人形 笑吉)