sorafotosorafotophotos from daily life around different places in japan 
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wisteria temple ??????? (kameido, japan)
2008-04-30 07:00:00 taken this past weekend at Kameido Tenjinja in Tokyo, during the wisteria matsuri More About: Japan , Temple
flowerpot butterfly?(kameido, japan)
2008-04-29 07:00:00 i took this photo this past weekend during the wisteria festival at kameido shrine in Kameido, japan. More About: Japan , Butterfly
cherry blossoms in vase ???? (asakusa, tokyo)
2008-04-21 07:00:00 i found this medium-sized vase sitting outside one of the older inns here in asakusa More About: Tokyo , Cherry Blossoms , Cherry
hanami bird ??? (shinjuku gyoen, tokyko)
2008-04-20 07:00:00 it wasn't the bird that made me look up at this image initially-- it was the hundreds of cherry petals floating down as snow in the breeze that made me close my eyes, lift my head and enjoy their velvety softness against my forehead and cheeks. this was actually my first time to experience such a sensation; in the movies and TV commercials they always have these moments where the sakura fall as snow, blanketing everything-- and before this weekend, i had thought such was merely a kind of legend. when i opened my eyes i saw this bird seeming to hungrily lap at the cherry nectar. i imagined myself as a bird; had i wings, where would i have them take me? More About: Bird
sakura and maples ?????(ueno park, tokyo)
2008-04-19 07:00:00 i found this scene and considered it pretty amazing: fall leaves and spring flowers, all at the same time. granted, the leaves weren't strutting their crimson glory-- but in black and white, it does look like two seasons at once. More About: Tokyo , Park , Sakura
art and nature ????? (shinjuku gyoen, tokyo)
2008-04-18 07:00:00 as an amateur photographer, i do consider myself to be a bit of an artist. nevertheless, i try to photograph the world as it appears to me-- and as such, the only editing i tend to do via photoshop is to balance the tones and colors after i scan. however, just as some photographers may use photoshop to selectively retouch a scene, i was reminded by this chap that painting was the original way of selectively editing things. i find it intriguing as to how and why painters select a particular subject to place onto their canvas; it's interesting, too, that some choose to capture the quieter elements of the scene rather than the bustle. More About: Nature , Tokyo
kids and sakura ?????(shinjuku gyoen, tokyo)
2008-04-17 07:00:00 as i was walking through shinjuki-gyoen i came across this pair of friends enjoying the reflection of cherry blossoms dancing in the pond. something in this scene really touched me, and i began welling with tears-- sometimes when i am witness to moments such as these, i feel as though i should have similar memories within my childhood, of growing up under the cherry blossoms and of chasing my friends around the park, laughing as we tag one another-- alas, i haven't such memories, as i had been born a continent away. More About: Kids , Tokyo , Sakura
sakura petals ?
2008-04-16 07:00:00 this is perhaps one of my finest photos this year: a collection of cherry blossoms that flocked together nicely on a fountain's surface. More About: Sakura
temple roof and blossoms ????(ueno, tokyo)
2008-04-15 07:00:00 well-- at first glance, this particular shot seemed to have some major problems for me: the blossoms were perfectly exposed but the temple doors and wall were way, way underexposed. and then, for whatever reason it dawned on me: that's what had struck me about this particular shot in the first place: the blossoms had seemed so brilliant as to be on fire, emitting a brilliance that dimmed everything around. More About: Tokyo , Temple , Roof
lizard and blossom ??????? (ueno, tokyo)
2008-04-14 07:00:00 while walking around ueno near the national museums, i came across this petal-- one of many that was lying on a rock wall. as i leaned in to take a photo, i suddenly saw a tiny nose appear from the shadows of the wall's inner recesses. waiting patiently i stayed until his nose was slightly more visible so that i could take this shot. (i really wish that i had had a flash or reflector with me that day-- it taught me one important lesson in photography: always bring a little more equipment than you think you will need, when wandering about.) More About: Tokyo , Lizard
magnolias ???? (yoyogi park, tokyo)
2008-04-13 07:00:00 ah, that intoxicating scent of magnolias-- there is something about that delectable aroma that makes me think it captures the very essence of love: sweet and seductive to the point that i want to breathe it in forever; an aroma that i drink more than inhale. while wandering through the various temple gardens with my friend Meg this weekend i decided to start photographing a few of the more unique flowers that i've seen (and drunken) whilst living in japan-- i reckon this will take a bit to compile, but hope to share with you as soon as i can! More About: Tokyo , Park
jizou and paper crane (asakusa, tokyo)
2008-04-12 07:00:00 this jizou statue is from one of the smaller side-temples in asakusa, near sensoji temple More About: Tokyo , Paper
birds of a feather (??????, tokyo)
2008-04-11 07:00:00 ...chirp together! i was trying to take a photo of the sakura blossoms (4.07.08) when i noticed a flock of these chickadee-looking folks happily chirping about More About: Tokyo , Birds , Feather
asakusa cat shrine?????
2008-04-10 07:00:00 a couple prays at a temple for good luck (especially for good fortune in love life) at imado-jinjya (????) in asakusa. (actually, i really liked this image because it seems a "mirror" in a way, with one cat waving to the human couple, almost beckoning to them; makes me kind of want to wave back.) More About: Shrine
???feline friends
2008-04-09 07:00:00 about a week ago, i came across this pair of cats-- and was so happy to have had my camera with me! i'm not quite sure what they feel for one another-- whether the one on the right is thankful for his friend, or whether he's kind of annoyed by the attention he's getting! what does everyone think? More About: Friends , Feline
???? dogtooth violets (Tokyo, Japan)
2008-04-08 07:00:00 ?????????????????? I saw these flowers and fell in love with them; took this shot at a park near Iidabashi station here in Tokyo More About: Japan
?????????? Sakura at Korakuen Park
2008-04-07 07:00:00 okay, so this image is a bit of a teaser... this photo was actually taken about a week ago, but as i needed some time to get negatives back from the photo shop, it's taken a wee bit to upload! the cherry blossoms have come early this year, and surprisingly, are nearly over with. this past weekend I went out and took quite a few photos of hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties, flowers and the like-- so i'll be offering my insights in a few days' time, when i get all the negatives together! More About: Park , Sakura
shinagawa temple torii gate
2008-04-06 07:00:00 ??????? quiet little place near kitashinagawa station; this temple lies on one of the tokyo temple pilgrimage walking trails that roughly follow the line of the old edo highway (the old, old road connecting Edo (current Tokyo) with Kyoto). two nifty things i'd found out. first: Tokyo's kanji (Japanese representation) is: ??(?). kyoto's kanji is ??(?). a long time ago, someone told me that the reason tokyo's kanji and kyoto's look alike has to do with history-- with tokyo's becoming the capital of japan. you see, the kanji "?" means "east"-- so, with a little simplification, "tokyo city" roughly means "eastern kyoto". second,this gate structure marks the entrance to a shinto shrine; the shape is also quite symbolic. consider the kanji ?, which means "heaven"-- apparently, the shape of the torii gate is meant to be the same as that kanji; that is, when you pass through the torii gates, you are entering a ... More About: Gate , Temple
shinagawa temple and highrise??????????
2008-04-05 07:00:00 ...now, adjacent the graveyard (previous day) lay another temple that i felt represented "modern japan" in many ways. in yesterday's post, i had to really consider the angle through which i was taking the shot, to avoid having the city of tokyo within the same frame. in this shot, however, i wanted to show the very reality of tokyo: everything is close together; all space is precious. behind this ancient temple is an apartment building still under construction; sometimes i wonder what the residents will think of living so close to the temple-- will they be able to smell the incense on the morning breeze? will they awaken with the sound of this bell being rung? More About: Temple
shinagawa graveyard--?????
2008-04-04 07:00:00 i found this particular location to be quite vibrant with a spiritual energy-- though it's a place for the dead, i think the living can still find a sense of inner peace. perhaps that's one reason we have graveyards in the first place--not only for the souls of the departed, but to serve as a vital link between generations, and help the living recall where they came from. More About: Graveyard
asakusa jizou statue
2008-04-03 07:00:00 ???? ah, yes; i return once again to my love of the jizou statues-- this particular one is at the eastern side of Senso-ji temple's gate, in asakusa More About: Statue
ginza monk
2008-04-02 07:00:00 ???????????? also joining the bustle of Ginza on weekends is a Buddhist monk, asking for donations. often, monks will walk toe-to-toe down a sidewalk, chanting softly and ringing a bell every few paces-- sometimes it's only through watching their stride that i realize how fast everyone else moves More About: Monk
ginza crowd
2008-04-01 07:00:00 ???????????? on a given weekend afternoon, the police close off some of the side streets to traffic, and pedestrians just walk about everywhere! some shops set up a few tables and chairs outside so that people can have a seat and relax; it really gives a nice energy to an otherwise crowded area More About: Crowd
ueno park monument
2008-03-31 07:00:00 ???????????????????? i've seen this rather unusual structure in Ueno Park (near toshogu shrine) quite a few times before, but for whatever reason it really stood out today-- the way the light struck its surface made me it was some kind of relic, something ancient and taken for granted-- and nearly forgotten. on the inside of the structure is a buddha statue and quite a few candles, but as they are in a near-hermetical environment, with the sole light being from the flickering candles-- such really lends to the mysterious atmosphere. on the outside of the structure is a kind of insignia in the shape of a ship's wheel; i have seen this insignia on a few other structures that i ascribe with a religion; i reckon it's that of a buddhist sect-- can anyone clarify? :) More About: Monument
ueno toshogu pagoda
2008-03-30 07:00:00 Ueno park has one of the most interesting collection of ancient Japanese gravemarkers (shown foreground right); these lanterns, I'm told, double as the markers for departed guardians of the temple. apparently, these grounds are also one of Tokyo's haunted areas, and it's said that at the tori gate near the entrance to this temple, a cold wind always blows. i and some of my friends went to investigate this phenomenon, Ghost Hunters style-- and discovered that a) we couldn't get any EVPs from the voice recorders we used; b) the reason there's a cold wind blowing is because all the air is funneled down a narrow corridor created by the lanterns and fences, straight to where the entrance is. we went out on a dark summer's night and not once did we feel a creepy vibe or anything. still, the temple is pretty great to have a look at-- especially in hanami season! More About: Pagoda
inari at ueno
2008-03-28 06:00:00 located nearby the hachimangu temple in ueno park is smaller shrine-- one of the more famous inari shrines (that, as i understand it, pay homage to foxes) that dot the tokyo area. a sakura petal had fallen on this fox's brow and i thought it would make such a great shot. unfortunately, i didn't take the difference in contrast into consideration when i snapped the shutter; as a result the petal kinda got washed out. oh well; something to retake when the cherry blossoms come in force!
ravens at the shore
2008-03-27 06:00:00 watch most any Japanese anime, drama or movie and you'll eventually come across a scene where ravens fly across the screen. just as with western culture, the japanese have attributed crows and ravens with death and "darkness" of the soul. ravens are quite literally everywhere in japan, and their presence seems to scare off all of the other birds-- here, three ravens perch beside the kamakura shoreline; the minute they flew into the area, all the aural commotion caused by the seagulls was completely silenced. crows are such a big problem in japan that some areas have even set up special task forces to deal with them. one of the more interesting recent developments is the speculation that ravens may be fairly intelligent creatures with the ability to recognize individual people. but more on this topic later. More About: Shore , Ravens
seaweed drying
2008-03-26 06:00:00 japan has an amazing aquaculture industry that seems prevalent everywhere you look. here, where one of kamakura's most popular beaches would be packed out in summer, in winter it's packed with clothespins hanging seaweed out to dry for the local markets.
??? (my neighbor, temple)
More articles from this author:2008-03-25 06:00:00 perhaps one of the first books that people read when they come to Japan (or when they're deciding whether to come!) is Dave Berry's commentary on this society. his observations are quite keen-- and i think that his book has one of the most amazing descriptions of how buildings are arranged in japan: that there is no arrangement per se. as a result, we can see unique pairings of structures-- and such isn't limited to tokyo, either: in Kamakura, across from gokurakuji temple lies another smaller temple, shown here. for some reason, this pair really typifies how kamakura feels: both ancient and new. photo location 35°18'34.11"N 139°31'45.23"E More About: Temple 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
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