A photo blog from Tokyo. A blog started in 2014 in Chiangmai, then moved to Vientiane, continues now in Japan. Daily photos and some stories to share my life in Tokyo with friends, families and others.
Tuesday, 31 March 2020
Monday, 30 March 2020
Snow and Sakura
The first real snow fall for winter - even though it is Spring - today in Tokyo at the end of March. A magical walk in Kinuta Park this afternoon.
Sunday, 29 March 2020
Sunday Kimono 20 - Mauve
A stylish older woman in a mauve kimono strolling through the gardens at Nezu Museum when I visited in the winter.
Friday, 27 March 2020
Thursday, 26 March 2020
Sakura at the Shogun's Shrine
Today I visite Ueno Park, one of the most spacious parks in Tokyo and location of several shrines and hundreds of Sakura trees. (There is a Sakura map to help located the trees and differentiate the species and you can't touch the flowers).
The avenue to the shrine for a major Edo period shogun was lined with blossoming trees - truly beautiful.
Wikipedia tells us
Ueno Tōshō-gū is a Tōshō-gū Shinto shrine located in the Taitō ward of Tokyo, Japan. First established in 1627 by Tōdō Takatora and renovated in 1651 by Tokugawa Iemitsu, the shrine remains mostly intact since that time, making it a great example of Shinto architecture in the Edo period.
Wednesday, 25 March 2020
Tuesday, 24 March 2020
Sunday, 22 March 2020
Sunday Kimono 19 - Gingko and Kimono
A photo from late autumn. This may be a wedding photo shoot for a young couple at the shrine in Todoroki gorge. Her kimono is intricate, but also many layered and heavy.
This shrine is the place with the winter gingkos from the post on Monday.
Friday, 20 March 2020
Dinner with a view
Hacienda del Sol - House in the sky, a Mexican restaurant in Daikanyama with a great view over Tokyo. I had a wonderful evening on Wednesday night (no lockdown yet) with my college counsellor colleagues from other international schools in Tokyo - Yokahama International School YIS, St Mary's International School SMIS and International School of the Sacred Heart ISSH. Great tacos, lovely company and amazing margaritas and a crane view.
Thursday, 19 March 2020
Cherry Blossoms
And so it starts. Not sure what type of cherry this is, (or if it is a cherry blossom???) but these vibrant pink blossoms at a shrine in Tokoroki gorge show the season has started. An early variety different from the Sakura planted on masse in Tokyo, but still gorgeous.
Wednesday, 18 March 2020
Plum Blossom
Beautiful plum blossom at Hanegi park, last month, where plum blossoms (ume) were being celebrated in the Setagaya plum blossom festival. Preparation for Sakura season.
Tuesday, 17 March 2020
The Neighbourhood - Lien de Sazaesan
Another link to Sazaesan in Sakurashinmachi. This cafe specializes in small pancakes decorated with images from Sazaesan manga.
Monday, 16 March 2020
Winter Ginkgo
My obsession with ginkos continues into the winter. No bright yellow but still majestic trees. These are at the shrine where I took yesterday's wedding kimono photos.
These photos show the trees back in autumn.
Added in a video to show the snow/sleet on Saturday afternoon.
Added in a video to show the snow/sleet on Saturday afternoon.
Sunday, 15 March 2020
Sunday Kimono 18 - Wedding Photos
Wedding photo time in the fall at a shrine in Todoroki gorge. Uchikake are colourful outer garments, usually in bright colours, red or orange like this and worn for photos and after the wedding ceremony at the reception.
Friday, 13 March 2020
White Magnolia
Winter white. White magnolia flowers are blooming in the neighbourhood. This tree at riverside shrine was elegant in the sunshine last Friday.
Thursday, 12 March 2020
White Poles
This image evokes ideas of Jackson Pollock and Blue Poles. What do you think? Splattering of snow instead of paint? White poles?
Wednesday, 11 March 2020
Black and white in the snow
Walking through a forest of deciduous trees - larch- in the snow is so different from a walk in the snow at home. The black and white contrast and the detail in the branches and bark is beautiful.
Tuesday, 10 March 2020
Snow and Waterfall
Two more photos of Shirato Falls at Karuizawa.
A cold but exhilarating walk along a trail through fresh snow to reach the falls felt rewarding, but I was happy to hop on the bus back to town. Love Japan - the 12.28 bus arrived at 12.28 and there is a bus on a Sunday, even in a relatively remote location!
Monday, 9 March 2020
Shirato Falls - Waterfall of White Thread
No river feeds into Shirato Falls near Karuizawa, instead they are fed by ground water from the base of the volcanic Mt Asama. The falls are in two stages, with the top falls being 3m high but in a curve of 70m. They looked great steaming on winters day, I don't think I have ever visited a waterfall in the snow before. The falls, their locattion and the walk to them would be spectacular with the lush greenness of summer of the colours of autumn in the surrounding larch trees.
Sunday, 8 March 2020
Sunday Kimono 17 - River of Fabric
Another photo of kimono fabric in the River Gallery at Nakai at the Some no Komichi festival. Stencils are used to design the concrete river banks.
Friday, 6 March 2020
Okusu - A 2000 year old tree
Thursday, 5 March 2020
The Neighbourhood - Narrow Streets
The narrow streets of Sakurashinmachi and similar Tokyo neighbourhoods are quaint and cute, as are the small trucks and vans that are also cute. The drivers are incredibly polite and patient, waiting for you as a pedestrian or cyclist and bowing to you when you step aside to give way and let them have the road.
Wednesday, 4 March 2020
The Neighbourhood - A Eucalypt
The juxtaposition of old and new in one block always amazes me as I wander the neighbourhood streets. This is a typical street scene - look closely for an Australian surprise in the middle of the photo.
Australian plants are popular at the local nursery too and in some other neighbourhood gardens.
Hardenbergia - commonly known as sarsaopilla seems to be a popular climber and wattles known here as mimosa are also a common garden plant.