Orange Gates

Shinto shrines have tori gates at the entrance.  I was happily surprised to find this, but others obviously knew of their existence.  There were two German tourists who had been waiting at the top of the stairs to take a photo of the gates without someone taking selfies at the bottom or walking up.  - Where are their problem solving skills?  I walked down, asked people to wait and then signalled them that the coast was clear to take a photo.

The series of 90 bright orange gates were at Hei Shrine near Nagatacho (the government district) in Tokyo.

Kawazu-zakura

Early blooming cherry blossom - Kawazu-zakura.

Warning - there will be more cherry blossom posts!!

Tuesday Temples - Kannushi

Last weekend I visitied Hanazno shrine in Shinjuku.  This fellow was conducting a ceremony.  Wikipedia tells me he is "A kannushi, also called shinshoku, (meaning god's employee) -the person responsible for the maintenance of a Shinto shrine as well as for leading worship of a given kami - the spirits or phenomena that are worshipped in the religion of Shinto. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, as well as beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the spirits of venerated dead persons. 

In Shinto, kami are not separate from nature, but are of nature, possessing positive and negative, and good and evil characteristics. 

Though the word kami is translated multiple ways into English, no one English word expresses its full meaning. The ambiguity of the meaning of kami is necessary, as it conveys the ambiguous nature of kami themselves.

Kimonos

Kimonos will undoubtably become a theme in the blog.  Today I went to an antique market and enjoyed the many second hand kimono stalls.  The colours  of the beautiful silks were brilliant and also subtle.

Kimono in the Park

This girl was in the park last weekend with her family.  The bright colours suited the spring day.

The Neighbourhood- Spots and windows

This is the childcare centre near where I live.   I like the spotty/dotty  facade and windows.

Not in Laos Now

Another " I am not in Laos now" moment. How many men does it take to paint a sign on the road?  Wow they are in white - and have hard hats.  So not Laos to even have signs on the road or for them to be freshly painted.