I really miss blue skies in Asia during the summer. The humidity makes them rare. On this unusual day between storms I headed up Mt. Mudeung and enjoyed this lovely place mostly by myself.

Description of Chungjangsa Shrine in Mount Mudeung National Park
Bus 1187 has a stop at Chungjansa.

My one wish is that I’m NOT made a “Minister of War” after my death.

The Japanese invasion described at this shrine was the one led by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His desire to concur China via Korea ultimately led to the weakening of his finances and power to the point that Tokugawa Ieyasu was able to control Japan, become shogun, and begin the 250+ year Edo Period.

Posted on May 6th, 2015 under Korea. Tags: gwangju, Mount Mudeung National Park, Nikon 24mm f/2.8 AF-D nikkor lens, Nikon D600, signs. Comments Off on Chungjangsa

Guanajuato, Mexico after dark

@Guanajuato @anahuacalli @MuseoMural

Sadly, my trip to Guanajuato, Mexico last summer was likely my last as the program I taught in appears to be going away.

Today’s photo is of the intersection where streets “28 de Septiembre”, “Galarza” (to the right), and “Positos” intersect. The hotel on the left has a sign over it (not pictured) which says “Paradon De La Galarza Hotel Diego Rivera”. Head straight down the left fork (Positos) to get to the Museo Diego Rivera.

Posted on April 7th, 2015 under Other. Tags: guanajuato, mexico, night photography, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 AF-S NIKKOR G ED N, Nikon D600, signs. Comments Off on Hotel Diego Rivera

Yukiko’s (由起子) sakura haiku (俳句) about the Kanda River (神田川)

@Haiku_in_Englis @haikunortham @tinywords @HaikuDiem @autohaiku

Five years ago this happened. I have shown other haikus before. This one I don’t get. Read literally it says something like “Kanda River, even read from the bottom, reads Kanda River”, but that isn’t true. Kanda River read from the bottom is River Dakan so what am I missing?

Posted on March 7th, 2015 under Japan. Tags: kandagawa, sakura, signs, Tokyo, 桜. Comments Off on Sakura haiku

Marugame udon in the city of Kai (Japan)

@MarugameUdonID

Before dinner things looked like this. After dinner, on my way to Kofu by bike, things looked like this.

Should you find yourself a bit west of Kofu (as there is a different one right in Kofu), here is the address:
丸亀製麺甲斐店
山梨県甲斐市中下条字三味堂908-3　

Posted on January 23rd, 2015 under Japan. Tags: clouds, dusk, kofu, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, signs, skywatch, udon. Comments Off on 丸亀製麺

Japanese party signs

While wandering through my old neighborhood in Tokyo a little over a year ago I noticed these signs for the 2013 version of the Bon Odori I went to in 2009 and the matsuri I went to that same year. Unfortunately, I wasn’t going to be in Tokyo long enough to experience either of them again. Instead, I ended up at this place.

The poster on the right is for the 2020 Summer Paralympics which will also take place in Tokyo. That announcement came down shortly after I took this photo.

Posted on January 20th, 2015 under Japan. Tags: bon odori, matsuri, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D600, nishi-waseda, signs, 天祖神社. Comments Off on Summer festivals in Japan