Waraji and Geta, Japanese traditional shoes

Green of bamboo

Lunch box!!

The previous post is not real lunch box but this is a real one.


These photo was taken by Akiko Motoki and thanks for allowing me to use the photos!!

Lunch box??

Is this a real lunch box??

No, this is all candy!

Simple window

When I was a boy...

I think making his clothes dirty during playing is one of great jobs for boys.

Take it easy, boy!!

A light just like the moon...

A picture of Maiko

This part of a picture is drawn by my aunt and she often paints Maiko in Kyoto.

Personally I think that her paintings are, first of all, well composed and good balanced between the colors of background, kimono clothes and its belt. Plus, he successfully capture Maiko's motion of dancing and their expression accurately.

Her works are now exhibited at an art gallery in Ginza, Tokyo.

Bamboo bars

A paper shop in Kyoto

A paper lantern in Kyoto

Wooden wall

The collaboration of bamboo and cherry trees

Bamboo's window

Leaves of green tea

Nails on the wall

Houses through Noren

Noren, a curtain of a shop

Cherry blossoms 2, Kyoto

Kame no ko brush

These are scrubbing brushes and called "Kame-no-ko, baby-turtle, brush", made of palm. We used them to wash pans or bath rooms. But now sponge-made brushes took the place of them and they are becoming unpopular.

A traditional house in Kyoto

Takenoko, a bamboo shoot

A Takenoko, meaning a baby of bamboo in Japanese, is a bamboo shoot and also a typical delicious food only during spring season. Kyoto is also famous for its delicious Takenoko.

It is a shoot of bamboo and most of it is covered with the soil. Only the top of it is uncovered.

We cook them in a various way: they are fried as a tempura, boiled with rice, slightly tasted with dashi and soy sauce, and grilled.

They are very healthy: they contain a variety of vitamins, fiber and kalium.

By the way, note that they are need to be boiled as soon as possible after they are dug out. As time goes by, the dug bamboo shoot will turn bitter very soon. So we need to boil them to stop turning bitter.

The top of it, the uncovered part, usually tastes bitter and fortunately the bitter keep animals in the nature from eating it.

In praise of shadow 3, Kyoto

Cherry blossoms 1, Kyoto

Modest light at the entrance of a house, Kyoto

Cherry trees on a river side, Kyoto

Decoration of roof tiles, Horyuji Temple

Tea serving of maikos to the audience before the performance

During April, miyako-odori, cherry dancing of maikos and geishas is performed at a theater in Gion, Kyoto. The performance is very popular in Kyoto. Before the performance maikos serves some tea for audience.

tile roofs, Tofukuji Temple

An old post box, April 1 theme day

I'm now writing at night on 1st, April and I decide to follow the British tradition that gerald england told me: the British tradition is that if I play my joke after midday then I am the fool.

This is an old post box in a museum in Japan and this is out of use. Now only a few old posts are left. This had been used for some decades years ago.

This post reminds me of good old days of the pre-email age and a song, "Please Mr. postman". For me, this also looks like time machine. I wish I could post letter to myself in school age and communicate with myself in my boyhood days by posting letters to this...

Many Daily Photo sites are participating in the 1st April theme, "A Public Mail Box", please use the links to below to visit them. Due to time zone differences and other factors, the theme photo may not be displayed until later if you are viewing early in the day.
1 (London (UK) ) -2 (Grenoble (France) ) -3 (Rotterdam (Netherlands) ) -4 (Greenville SC (USA) ) -5 (Hyde (UK) ) -6 (Villigen (Switzerland) ) -7 (Albuquerque NM (USA) ) -8 (Mazatlan (Mexico) ) -9 (Montréal (Canada) ) -10 (Stayton OR (USA) ) -11 (Shanghai (China) -Jing ) -12 (Arradon (France) ) -13 (Sequim WA (USA) ) -14 (Newcastle upon Tyne (England) ) -15 (Seattle WA (USA) -Kim ) -16 (Bastia (Corse) ) -17 (Minneapolis MN (USA) ) -18 (Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) ) -19 (Joplin MO (USA) ) -20 (Sharon, CT (USA) ) -21 (Cottage Grove MN [USA] ) -22 (Houston, TX (USA) -Candice & Megan ) -23 (Singapore - by Keropokman. ) -24 (Guelph, ON (Canada) ) -25 (Menton (France) ) -26 (onte Carlo, Monaco ) -27 (aples, FL (USA) ) -28 (Kyoto (Japan) ) -29 (Tokyo (Japan) ) -30 (Aliso Viejo, CA (USA) ) -31 (Cape Town (South Africa) ) -32 (Jakarta (Indonesia) ) -33 (Kitakami (Japan) ) -34 (Tel Aviv (Israel) ) -35 (Vantaa(Finland) ) -36 (Guadalajara (Mexico) ) -37 (Auckland (New Zealand) ) -38 (Nelson (New Zealand) ) -39 (Tuzla (B&H) ) -40 (Brussels (Belgium) ) -41 (Anderson, SC (USA) ) -42 (Lubbock, TX (USA) ) -43 (John, Melbourne, (Australia) ) -44 (Stavanger (Norway) ) -45 (Tenerife (Spain) ) -46 (Stockholm (Sweden) ) -47 (Boston, MA (USA) ) -48 (Not Strictly Seattle, Susan ) -49 (New York City, (USA), Ming the Merciless ) -50 (Paris [Eric], (France) ) -51 (Ampang (Selangor) ) -52 (Sydney (Nathalie) Australia ) -53 (ailea , HI (USA) ) -54 (Manila (Philippines) ) -55 (Sydney (Sally) Australia ) -56 (Cork (Ireland) ) -57 (Saarbrücken (Germany) ) -58 (Saint Paul MN (USA) by Carol ) -59 (San Diego, CA (USA) ) -60 (Mexico [POLY], (Mexico) ) -61 (Budapest (Hungary) ) -62 (Singapore (Singapore by Zannnie) ) -63 (Madrid [Dsole] (Spain) ) -64 (Nottingham (England)) -