Matsumoto Castle (松本城 Matsumoto-jō), Nagano-ken is one of Japan's premier historic castles, along with Himeji Castle and Kumamoto Castle. The building is also known as the "Crow Castle" (烏城 Karasu-jō) due to its black exterior. It was the seat of the Matsumoto domain. (Original keep : 天守閣=tenshukaku and inner walls survive, several gates have been rebuilt since 1960) The keep was completed in the late sixteenth century, maintains its original wooden interiors and external stonework. It is… Read more

Bicchu Matsuyama Castle, Takahashi-city, Okayama-ken (岡山備中松山城) A Mountain Castle up on 430m-high Gagyu-san, built in 1240.… Read more

Akira Kurosawa 黒澤明 (1910-1998) was born inTokyo, the youngest of eight c h i l d r e n of a f a m i l y of samurai lineage. By age 23 his three b r o t h e r s and one of his s i s t e r s had died, leaving him as the only son. His father was a school principal who firmly believed in the educational benefits of films, and regularly took his f a m i l y to see them. (Kurosawa's Film "The Seven Samurai") The young Kurosawa had an interest in and a talent for drawing, and originally wished to become an artist. Ho… Read more

March 08, 2016 Morning Fog over San Francisco ? This is Tokyo from 450m observation deck of Skytree Tower… Read more

As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen s**ttered along its length and breadth. Onsen were traditionally used as public bathing places and today play a central role in directing Japanese domestic tourism. Onsen come in many types and shapes, including outdoor (露天風呂 or 野天風呂 roten-buro or noten-buro) and indoor baths(内風呂 uchi-buro). Baths may be either publicly run by a municipality or private (内湯 uchiyu) often run as part of a hotel, ryokan or bed and breakfast (民宿 minshuku). http:… Read more

Mt. Fuji under moonlight Peace and Love from Pai-chan… Read more

In a few years you will not recognize Shibuya Station area. Shibuya (渋谷) is one of the twenty-three city wards of Tokyo, but often refers to just the popular shopping and entertainment area found around Shibuya Station. Shibuya in this regard is one of Tokyo's most colorful and busy districts, packed with shopping, dining and nightclubs serving swarms of visitors everyday. Shibuya is a center for youth fashion and culture, and its streets… Read more

Share a nice view with me .... Hotel Green Plaza Hakone… Read more

Omizutori (お水取り) is an annual Buddhist Ritual or a ceremony as a repentance service to the Boddhisattva Avalokiteshvara (十一面観音 : Eleven Headed Kannon). Omizutori is also a practice originally known as Shuni-e (修二会), one of the oldest Japanese Buddhist festivals at Nara Todaiji Nigatsu-do (奈良 東大寺 二月堂) dates back to 752. The ceremony continues to this day and is conducted from March 1 until March 15 early morning. Priests carry long, f… Read more

Nara Todaiji Nigatsudo (奈良 東大寺 二月堂)… Read more

Left : Kansai (Western Japan - Osaka etc) Sakura-mochi, called "Domyo-ji"(= 道明寺), Right : Kanto (Eastern Japan - Tokyo etc) Sakura-mochi, called "Cho-mei-ji" (=長命寺) Sakura-mochi 桜餅 : The seasoned Sakura-leaf can be eaten but it has streaks. This is Japan's standard Sakura "Somei-yoshino"(=ソメイヨシノor 染井吉野) The Sakura blossoms open forecast is based on this "Somei-yoshino" fixed tree at each weather office branches. ... the latest Open f… Read more

Kyoto 京都… Read more

Lake Hamana (浜名湖) in Hamamatsu City is famous for its farming of eels(freshwater Unagi), but in fact, it has a longer history of oyster cultivation, a secret specialty of Lake Hamana that boasts high quality equal to the other areas across the country famous for oyster production. They are meaty and contain large amounts of minerals, and are prized for their rich flavor and tender texture. The oysters are suspended in the water using a cultivation method called the hanging culture method, and they are carefully… Read more

Nara Todaiji Nigatsudo Shunie "Omizutori" (奈良東大寺二月堂修二会 お水取り) March 01 - 15 An annual Buddhist ritual comprises an array of ceremonies centered on repentance to the Bodhisattva Kannon and prayers for the welfare of society. Fire Ceremony (otaimatsu in Japanese) and the Omizutori, or "Water Ceremony" are two of the best known ceremonies.… Read more

Hinamatsuri (ひなまつり) is celebrated each year on the 3rd of March. It is traditionally a day dedicated to girls, in the way “Kodomo no hi” (5th of May) was originally dedicated to boys. The day is also called "Momo-no-sekku", a celebration in homes with young daughters by the display of hina (お雛さま) dolls representing the Emperor, Empress and various attendants in traditional dress of the Heian period (794-1185 AD). The simplest displays are made up of a stand with two dolls, but more elaborate displays ma… Read more

Kyoto Kifune-jinja and Shimogamo-jinja (京都貴船神社と下鴨神社) March 01-02, 2016 However the Weather Office reported that this winter(Dec.2015-Feb.2016) has been 1.4 C warmer than usual. Does that mean Pai-chan can walk outside in even shoretr mini or no-pan ?… Read more

Situated along the famous Tokaido 東海道= the most important road connecting Tokyo and Kyoto, City of Hamamatsu (浜松) and neighboring towns (Fukuroi, Mitsuke, Maisaka, Arai) initially developed as post stations. Many historical structures from these ancient post stations still remain standing as registered cultural properties to tell the story of their long history. (The old "Kinokuniya-inn", was the largest Hat… Read more

Shinjuku 新宿 (Tokyo's biggest and most bustling commercial district)… Read more

The beloved “Daibutsu” (Great Buddha) of Kamakura is currently having its first full-scale inspection and maintenance in half a century. Poet and feminist writer Akiko Yosano (1878-1942) composed the following short poem extolling the beautiful visage of the bronze-cast seated Buddha. “Here in Kamakura/ The sublime Buddha is of another world/ But how like a handsome man he seems/ Adorned with the green of summer.” Not only the face, but also the inner sections of the statue’s body are bei… Read more

Aya-no-Teruha-o-hashi Bridge, Miyazaki-ken 綾の照葉大吊橋 250m long, 142m height… Read more