This is my beard..tremble before it's
virtuosity.
During the winter break I didn't do all that much, finally I went shack-wacky enough that I hop'ed on a bus and rode overnight to Tokyo to see the city and a friend that had moved there. He's a musician and will be undoubtably famous someday. He plays Jazz. He is coo.. (not cool, he's much more than that).
R-L: Ginza and Godzilla. Ginza is the rich shopping
district and Godzilla is the monster that flattend Tokyo
many many many times. The writing under Godzilla says,
he will be back have no doubts.
district and Godzilla is the monster that flattend Tokyo
many many many times. The writing under Godzilla says,
he will be back have no doubts.
While in Tokyo I also paid a visit to the National Museum. It is the largest in Japan and worth the time. I recently went to the National Museum in Kyoto too and it didn't hold a candle to the one in Tokyo.
L-R: carvings from the museum. A netsuke (根付) which is the samuari used to tuck
their bags into their belts. Like a watch fob. The thing that is most impressive is that
that little man/monster is about 1/2 the size of your thumb. Next, is a buddha. Not shocking
other than the fact he's fliping a most zen-like bird. Apparently the meaning
is not universal. Finally, the chinese zodiac carved out of wood. This particular
figure is the rat.
their bags into their belts. Like a watch fob. The thing that is most impressive is that
that little man/monster is about 1/2 the size of your thumb. Next, is a buddha. Not shocking
other than the fact he's fliping a most zen-like bird. Apparently the meaning
is not universal. Finally, the chinese zodiac carved out of wood. This particular
figure is the rat.
The Coming of Age Ceremony
In Japan on Jan. 9th people turning 20 (the age of adulthood in Japan) have a ceremony. They dress to the nines, the boys usually wear suits these days but you still sometimes seen one or two in hakama. The girls put their parents in the hurt-locker by wearing (purchased or rented) INSANELY expensive kimonos. Like a wedding dress it's one day and one heck of a lot of money. I asked a friend recently and he reported that his girlfriend and her sister's kimono are worth more than my parents first house! A price of 10,000$ isn't out of the question. I happend to go to a temple that same day to watch a goblin festival (something the temple is famous for.)
On the left are monks who play the Japanese flute. You can see
them in the back of the photo on the right. The large nosed fellow is
a goblin. The goblin king as far as I can tell. Lots of goblins in these parts.
them in the back of the photo on the right. The large nosed fellow is
a goblin. The goblin king as far as I can tell. Lots of goblins in these parts.
My day in Kyoto-the ancient capital
I spent one day in Kyoto for the sole purpose of seeing two museums there. The exibits were a let down compared to the ones I saw in Tokyo, but on the plus side I saw some temples I didn't see the first time around. About 5 miles was probably walked round trip so by the end of the day came and I was heading home I was rightly tired. The highlight for me was the temple of the 1000 buddhas (I think that's what you'd call it) named Sanjusangendo was holding it's years party for people of the bow and arrow persuasion. Apparently it's custom on that day since way back when that people try to see how many arrows they can launch down the length of the temple. It's changed a lot in modern times, but the record was set in the 1600's by a man who spent one full day and shot over 1000 arrows to the target. Nowadays, most of the kids that try this don't even make it to the target (weak, they need compound bows). It was certainly beautiful, again the kimono, and the grace, but in a fight I don't think a single one could shoot their way out of a wet paper bag.
Nice but crowded. Right is a tree near the temple. Old,
revered and big.
Left are the girls trying hard to hit the target. I'm sure my cousins
back home who can kill a deer with a glance much less a bow
would be laughing very very hard at these kids.
Zen my ass, I'm sure they'd say.
The right is a pagoda at Kiyomisudera
出
back home who can kill a deer with a glance much less a bow
would be laughing very very hard at these kids.
Zen my ass, I'm sure they'd say.
The right is a pagoda at Kiyomisudera
said...
To bad no one took a picture of me on your shoulders, I'll bet that looked pretty damn funny, especially to all the Japanese people around us. Nice pics! Up for something next weekend? I'll be back in Wakayama for the weekend.
said...
do you shop these photos? They are all very clear and sharp. You should be a photographer.