Owner: sorafoto URL:http://tcsuliv.aminus3.com/ Join Date: Mon, 05 Nov 2007 23:36:09 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: a photoblog dedicated to my life and experiences in and around japan Site statistics:Click here
wedding and kimono 2007-11-17 23:00:00
should you go to meiji-jingu shrine in tokyo on a sunday, you will probably have the chance to see a few traditional Japanese wedding
processions.
cameras galore 2007-11-15 23:00:00
...though, before they leave the temples, everyone takes photos of the kids: proud parents and relatives; random strangers; tourists. the sheer numbers of photographers at the busier temples transform them into glittering spectacles appearing more as press interviews than the solemn atmosphere they normally exude.
(day 8 of 8)
mother and daughter 2007-11-14 23:00:00
and then: it's all over for this year. the childrens' small shoes gradually become larger, along with their stride; the 3- and 5-year olds have to wait a year before they return in kimono to the shrines. the 7-year olds, however, will return in thirteen years, on the second Monday in January to celebrate Seijin no hi-- "Coming of Age Day".
(day 7 of 8) Read more:mother
generations 2007-11-13 23:00:00
another amazing opportunity that shichi-go-san offers is to see three generations coming together as a family to celebrate this transition in age.
i have found that one of the largest differences between Japanese and American culture is the large number of family-oriented festivals and events in Japan-- events aimed at bringing the family together. as, traditionally, Japanese society has been extremely important, this is not very surprising; however, what does surprise me a little is the strong effect that modern times have had on the Japanese. as prices and living expenses have risen, more income has been necessary; consequently, many workers have moved to the large cities (like Tokyo and Osaka) to get the high-salary jobs. this has led to a surge in the number of commuter marriages: mom
running and kimono 2007-11-12 23:00:00
after finishing the visit to the shrine, many kids seem to feel as though that, as their "duties" are over, they are free to play and run around. more mounds of gravel are made.
(day 5 of 8) Read more:running
water and kimono 2007-11-11 23:00:00
prior to entering a shrine, it is tradition for people to purify their hands by washing in a stone basin near the entrance. during shichi-go-san , children are taught how to use the ladles and wash their hands. often, the young three-year-olds are too short to reach the top of the basin; their parents must lift them up so they can manage.
(day 4 of 8) Read more:water
kimono-clad kid being a kid 2007-11-10 23:00:00
..and, like all children, these kimono-clad youngsters get tired. they get restless. they want to play.
the grounds of meijijingu shrine are covered with gravel pathways; kids of all cultures seem to be entranced by these Little stones-- they squat and meticulously pick through stone by stone until they find a particularly unique one. excitedly, they jump up, show their parent sand/or grandparents-- and plop down, repeating the process over and over again.
or instead, they build small mounds of gravel. mounds attract the attention of other kids, who run over and want to have their own small mound of stones nearby.
i always have a chuckle at the parents; it also becomes immediately clear of what kind of parent they are. some parents immediately scold their children; they tug at their child
kimono and child 2007-11-09 23:00:00
mother and child
celebrating Shichi-go-san at meiji-jingu shrine in tokyo.
So, why are the numbers 3, 5 and 7 significant? according to Japanese numerology, these numbers are very lucky; they also symbolize a transition from toddler into middle childhood.
one of the reasons i find this festival so very heartwarming is because of that fact of transition: though they are wearing very expensive, beautiful kimono and hakama, and though they may look more akin to adults on this day, they are still in nature quite child.
(day 2 of 8)
children and kimono 2007-11-08 23:00:00
this is the first of a series of photos showing a bit about the celebration of Shichi-go-san (Seven-five-three) Day, one of the most interesting (and, in my humble opinion, the most heartwarming) festivals in japan.
around November 15 every year, children aged three, five and seven dress in kimono and head to their local temple to receive a special kind of candy meant to bring longevity-- chitoseame, or "thousand-year (age) candy".
as with many rites of passage, parents often want to bring their children to really popular temples. in Tokyo, perhaps the most famous temple for Shichi-go-san is the Meiji-jingu Shrine in Harajuku.
(day 1 of 8)
lake Chuzenjiko and mountains 2007-11-07 23:00:00
renowned for its splendid views, temples, waterfalls, and hot springs, Nikko also has a majestic lake surrounded by what appear to be dormant volcanic mountains
. in fall, though the hillsides do not burn with the flame of maple leaves as in other parts of the country, there is a comfortable mix of reds, oranges and yellows that definitely gives that autumn aura. also well-worth the journey here is the cascading waterfalls a five-minute walk downriver from the southern tip of the lake. the whole experience is so overwhelmingly popular that the otherwise 1-hour journey takes anywhere from two to three hours during peak season.
Chuzenji temple and leaves (nikko) 2007-11-06 23:00:00
i have always found Japanese temples and shrines to take a more minimalistic approach toward adornment. whereas in the west we tend to construct cathedrals to touch the clouds, or fashion ornate patterns and scenes out of multi-colored glass, the Japanese tend to simple. let the temple be part of nature; let the voice of nature speak for the temple. thus, the beautiful gardens surrounding each temple harness their colors as voices and sing with their seasonal rainbows: the deep greens of moss and well-cultured evergreens; the vibrant pinks and bass violets of peach, plum and cherry blossoms; the harmonic blues and purples of hydrangeas.
each floral variety has been timed, so that when one color wanes, another waxes--and each temple's surroundings become a rhythm. musical. poetry.
an Read more:leaves
jizou statues and moss (nikko) 2007-11-05 23:00:00
i have a confession:
Buddhas make me cry.
not just every Buddha, mind you. but the ones that have these captivating, sublime expressions truly make me feel at peace. calm. serenity. a flittering taste of nirvana.
it is within these moments that i fathom something far greater and deeper than i am; and i understand all of my worries are trivial.
every time i feel this elusive emotion, something draws me back into reality and there i am again, gazing upon an image in stone or metal. in this case, dozens of jizou statues line a riverside path (kanmangafuchi) in nikko; each statue waits patiently for a traveller to happen upon them and begin that difficult process of unthinking introspection.
river and trees (nikko) 2007-11-04 23:00:00
autumn.
every year, i try spending some time in Kyoto doing a kind of mental celebration for fall's arrival. i so dearly love this season of change and unpredictability: it can be rainy and wet, leaving one with a sad soul and longing eyes; or it can delight you with its warm sunny kiss. but, best of all, autumn can be everything in between.
the Japanese seem to enjoy fall as part of their culture; tourists surge and crowd around various temples and areas with any reddish tinge to their leaves-- remarking with phrases like ehhh, kireiiii desu neeee...
and i, myself, agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment. the leaves are beautiful, yes; but they seem to resonate with something deeper-- as though the very soul and spirit of japan is drawn up from within the trees' roots and gus
dragon and fountain 2007-10-22 00:00:00
nothing particularly amazing about this photo-- justwanted to take a few photos of the dragon figurines along the edge of a fountain at sensoji temple in asakusa
radial streak and temple 2007-10-21 00:00:00
lately i have been doing a lot of experimenting with photos by moving the camera, lens or aperature in different ways during the exposure. while this hasn't yielded the most exciting photos, some of the results are kinda interesting.
this photo was made by simply pivoting the cameraon the tripod during the exposure.
lanterns and light 2007-10-20 00:00:00
lately i have been doing a lot of experimenting with photos by moving the camera, lens or aperature in different ways during the exposure. while this hasn't yielded the most exciting photos, some of the results are kinda interesting.
this photo was made simply by zooming out during the exposure. Read more:light
pinwheels and statues 2007-10-18 00:00:00
more jizo statues at Zojoji Temple in Tokyo
statues and pinwheels 2007-10-17 00:00:00
right in the heart of tokyo, near Tokyo Tower, lies a farily large temple-- Zojoji. on on side of the temple are scores of jizo statues, each with a pinwheel by their side. (jizo are buddhas who look after children in the afterlife; when an abortion, miscarriage or other traumatic event is experienced, people will often buy a statue to look after the spirit of the departed.)
pond and gassho 2007-10-09 00:00:00
a traditional japanese gassho house and pond; taken in gifu city
buddha and yen 2007-10-07 00:00:00
thousands of small buddha figures are scattered all around kamakura; people offer them small change in exchange for good fortune.
man and yakitori 2007-09-29 00:00:00
an older fellow ordering at a yakitori (kind of chicken kebab) place in gifu, japan
phone and sakura 2007-09-28 00:00:00
the last of the "springy" shots-- i hope you enjoyed a small, two-day taste of spring in autumn! Read more:phone
painter and sakura 2007-09-27 00:00:00
photo of a painter sketching cherry blossoms for a piece this past spring; in shinjuku gyoen, tokyo. (reason i added this photo: today was pretty warm in tokyo; and when i looked around with that balmy autumn breeze i thought-- wait, isn't that a balmy spring breeze? lol)
yukata and temple 2007-09-26 00:00:00
asakusa temple with yukata-clad women
temple gate 2007-09-25 00:00:00
the temple gate to asakusa, unblurred
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