Everyone has raingear...

...even the dog!

A rainy day in the city.

Cheers.

Happy Holidays to all!!!

Santa in Harajuku!

Peace.

Commuting

The stuff you see while stuck in trafic...

The ferry building clock tower at the Port of San Francisco.

Cheers.

Poetry and Prayers at Meiji Jingu Shrine

The things people say,

Whether good or ill,
Surely can all profit us
If we but listen well.

This verse is written in the traditional 31-syllable form and is one of 30, 000 Imperial poems written by Empress Shoken.

A visit to Meiji Jingu like many shrines and temples you'll find find prayer placards hung by patrons. Many prayers are for happy lives, passing an exam, healthy babies, etc.

Prayer placards

Sayonara.

Jet Lag

It's been a little over a week since I've gotten back from Japan and I'm almost over my jet lag!!!

I'm still going through images; editing and adjusting them.

A shrine near Sensoji Temple in Asakusa

Torii in Shinjuku

Samuraii Chop!! is one of the many great bands I saw perfom in Yoyogi Park near Harajuku. I found a video of them performing posted on Youtube for you to enjoy.

Samuraii Chop!!

Cheers!

And the final count is...

...2,254 images shot in Japan. Now the sorting and editing begins.

Sensoji Temple in Asakusa

Heading home

Oh, inner peace.


This is the state I hope to be in during my trek home.

I spent my last day in Shibuya, Asakusa and Shinjuku.


Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo.




Some new stunning architecture being built in Shinjuku.
Sayonara.

Prayers and Weddings

Young lady writing a prayer

I spent the day in Yoyogi-koen and Meiji Jingu Shrine. This is the most gaijin I've seen in one place. There were many weddings happening as well as young ones in their Kimonos and Haori Hakamas.

Wedding procession


Happy family with son in his Haori Hakama

The Nod

Santa's Helpers

After spending a bit of time here in Japan I've noticed something. Do you know the "nod"? It's a head nod of recognition between one person of color and another in the USA. Here in Japan many American Gaijin (foreigners) regardless of race will do the nod to other Americans. What do you think that means?

Cheers!

A day in Ueno

I'll start this post with someone I met in Ueno. Genki is trying to protect this monument to peace and remembrance of the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. He fears the new caretakers at Toshogu Shrine will remove it. I'll try to get more information in a future post.

Here are some images of fall in Ueno-koen and Toshogu Shrine.





Cheers!

The Colonel

They have KFC here in Japan too.

The Colonel is present in Yokohama in his festive Xmas garb!
Cheers!

Almost a 1000 images...

Ferris wheel in Yokohama

I've shot about 1000 image now. It's been taking a lot of time to sort and edit them with my limited hardware.

Here are some of my images of small statues that represent lost children (still born). There are thousands here at the temple at Kamakura.



We also went to Disney Sea Tokyo. This Disney theme is based on port cities from points around the world real and fantasy.


Sayonara!

Cupids and Nutcrackers

While at Yoyogi-koen we came across a fellow dressed as this...

Is he cupid?!

An Apple store display in Shibuya has nutcrackers listening to iPods. Christmas is here in Japan too.


I'm having a great time here in Japan with Noriko and her sister. Do I really have to come home?

Some of the first images of Japan

An aspiring front man for a band playing in Yoyogi-koen (park) in Tokyo. The band is Samurai Chop!!, great music, check them out at http://www.geocities.jp/yoppengar/

The Great Buddha at Kamakura in Kanagawa.

The First Few Days...

A few days and nights in Japan and things are great. Getting a lot of great images.

I've been to Harajuku, Yoyogi-koen park, Kamakura, Shibuya and Tokyo Disney Sea resort/park.

Images to come soon...

Cheers

I've Finally Arrived

Well, I'm here in Japan. Kanagawa to be more precise.

I met a fellow Usefilm.com photographer Yutaka (http://www.usefilm.com/photographer.asp?ID=16971) at the airport.



That was very kind of him.

I'll be going to Harajuku to shoot the Cosplayers and getting some more warm clothes today. It's samui (cold) here!!

Cheers!