Fireworks Phantasy

At night, they featured the balloons again, this time lighting their fires to the rythmn of music and fireworks. It was a fantastic and unique display!

Fallen in Light

Even when the weather wan't so clear, there were other opportunities for views. This was on my first day, when I found the clouds to be quite dramatic.

Turkish Restaurant in Tokyo

The interior was just like being in Turkey. Well, I've never actually been to Turkey, but this is how I imagine it! They even have a translating Turkish into Japanese and when I said how good the meal was in Turkish, they were so pleased they gave me a free tea. These photos were taken after that gift!

Cook in Turkish Restaurant in Tokyo

Some say he looks like Mario, but this is a cook in a Turkish restaurant in Takadanobaba, in Tokyo. Delicious kebab plates, by the way.

Into the Mists

Another view of Kusatsu onsen- here is where the salts are extracted from the mountain waters, as has been done for centuries. An onsen is a deep experience, as the minerals soak into you and sooth.

Lights in Mist

From recent trip to Kusatsu onsen. These mystical mists were deepened by the rainy weather. You really feel primal Japan in such a place.

Yasukuni Shrine

Another place I made my way to was the controversial Yasukuni shrine.

Seeing the exhibits makes you wonder if modern technology makes it inappropriate to to romanticise certain things.

Here are ojizosan, which people put here and pray. they can represent various things, often children. 

... or to snap a picture. 

A fine time for a rest. 

There was a very easy-going atmosphere here, something like a music festival, people relaxing on the grass in the sun. 

Nokogiri Mountain- The Biggest Buddha and the Journey Home

And here we are- the biggest Buddha in Japan.

One last view of the arhats on the way up. Actually most of these are reconstructions- as the originals were destroyed by sea, wind and fire long ago.

Hmm. An interesting display inside a shrine. I expect they represent the male and female principals. 

Now time to plan the next stop on our tour. Here are my friends- on the left you can see Glen (Aka Tokyo Fox) and on the right, Asif. 

Up at the top and time to admire the view. Just move this pesky tree... 

The shade of the trees helps when climbing a mountain. 

Here we are setting off- bright sunny day. 

Nokogiri Mountain- The Journey Begins

Here we are, back to my own pictures! I've been a little busy with my other projects but I thought now was the time to put some more up here... quite a lot more as it turned out! Here is a set taken on Nokogiri Mountain, home to the biggest of the biggest Buddhas in Japan, back on May the 5th. You can see more about the trip on Gideon's Photography. Here, I broke it up into three sections-

The Journey Begins
The Arhats
The Biggest Buddha and The Journey Home

I used my Tokina 12-24mm F4 DX lens and my Tamron Di 90mm Macro Lens for the trip- you can see where I used the former just by seeing the wide-angles of the views.

First of all, some dried fish, as seen just outside the station and on the way there. You know two things when you see such sights here- firstly that you're pretty near to the sea and secondly that you really are in Japan, a country which in many ways hasn't changed nearly as much as people suppose it has. For me at least, this is a reassuring feeling.

...which one to choose?!

THE END.