Did you see that?

Another of the Tōri Shrine

Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion),Kyoto

The Golden Pavilion was a retreat for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu

until his death.  It was taken over by the Renzai Zen sect in 1408 and remains a Buddhist temple.

Kyoto Station

Kyoto Station is an amazing structure with an overhead walkway

 and long stairways to amazing view points as in this reflection.

Kyoto Tōri Shrine

In the late 70's I bought this woodblock print by Toshi Yoshida at Liberty's in London, as present for Lesley.  When we came to Kyoto we wanted to find the original site, which we discovered is called the Tōri Shrine.  As luck would have it the place was especially open and lit for the cherry blossom season.

This is my photo.

Interview with a Maiko

We had an audience with Kotomi-san an apprentice Geisha (Maiko).

The live appears very hard and expensive to enter.  Regular lessons in traditional dances and instruments, plus the ability to beat all comers at drinking games.  All western misconceptions about the role of the Geisha are quickly dispelled

Hida Folk Village, Takayama

Hida Folk Village is a collection of rural buildings showing off older ways of life in the Japanese mountains.

 Roof construction.

This is a urinal, form that hasn't changed in the intervening 400-500 years.

Pictures from Takayama

Just catching up with some photos from Takayama a few days ago.

 Great drip fed coffee at Coffee Don (that's the man himself), it has been open since 1951 and he looks like he has been there since then.  Great atmosphere and Billy Holliday on the speakers, what more could you want.

 This mother was not getting very far as everyone loved her kid.

 Sweet shopping in a small Japanese town.

Matsumoto-jo (Matsumoto Castle) is also known as Karasu-jo or Black Crow Castle because of the colour of its donjon (keep - central building).  It is built on flatland rather than on high ground and the current buildings date from 1594.

View from the Asakusa View Hotel

Our hotel has a viewing room on the 20th floor looking out at the Shiro-ji shrine, Sky Tree and the an amusement park.

Kabuki at Shiro-ji

Around the side of the main Siro-ji shrine we discovered a performance of a Kabuki play by a group of children.  The Kabuki, which is a traditional theatre form, was pretty much beyond our understanding without some form of translated synopsis.  From what we could gather this group was supported by UNESCO.

Around theside

Picnic in the Park under the Sakura what more could you ask for?

 Wandering around the Shiro-ji shrine on Saturday.

Roof angles.

Old and New Part 2

My favourite shot of the day.

Old and New

Most cities are a mix of old and new.

This shot was grabbed from the bus on the way from the airport and is like most of Tokyo representative of the modern city.

Asakusa, is one area of Tokyo that has preserved some older streets, generally making it popular with tourists, just not at this time.