Thursday, February 28, 2008

A lamp at dusk

A lamp at dusk, Kyoto

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Make-up with snow at Ohara Hosen-in, in Kyoto

Make-up with snow at Ohara Hosen-in, in Kyoto, Japan
BTW, here is the same place in summer.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

the art of calligraphy

the art of calligraphy

Monday, February 25, 2008

A wooden house surrounded by pine trees, at Ginkakuji Temple, in Kyoto

A wooden house surrounded by pine trees, at Ginkakuji Temple, in Kyoto

Sunday, February 24, 2008

River bank for lovers, along Kamo River, in Kyoto

River bank for lovers, along Kamo River, in Kyoto
This river, Kamo River, penetrates the east area of Kyoto city and used to be known as the river for dead people, a long time ago. Dead people used to be thrown away into the river. But now the river is known as a place for lovers. Many couples are sit down at the riverbank in a certain interval. I think riversides seem to be popular spots for going out on a date all over the world.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Shoji, a thin-papered window, in a house for tea ceremony, at Daitokuji Temple, in Kyoto

Shoji, a thin-papered window, in a house for tea ceremony, at Daitokuji Temple, in Kyoto, Japan

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Fugu Zosui

Fugu Zosui
This is called Fugu Zosui, boiled rice with blowfish soup and the fish is one of typical fishes in winter. This dish is one of the most delicious dishes among the blowfish ones.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

An entrance for a restaurant, near Kozanji Temple, in Kyoto

An entrance for a restaurant, near Kozanji Temple, in Kyoto

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Wooden sign boards at Kozanji Temple, in Kyoto

Wooden sign boards at Kozanji Temple, in Kyoto

Monday, February 18, 2008

A phenix on the top of roof at Ginkakuji Temple, in Kyoto

A phenix on the top of roof at Ginkakuji Temple, in Kyoto

Sunday, February 17, 2008

A mouth of drain, at Katsura Imperial Villa, in Kyoto

A mouth of drain, at Katsura Imperial Villa, in Kyoto

Saturday, February 16, 2008

A stone in raked small gravels, at Zuiho-in Daitokuji Temple, in Kyoto

gravel

Friday, February 15, 2008

The end of the rope for praying, hang in front of the main building at shrines, in Kyoto

The end of the rope for praying, hang in front of the main building at shrines, in Kyoto
On the top of the rope is the bell put and people shake the rope and ring the bell to let deities out there know that we come there to pray.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Noren, a cloth hang on at the entrance of a restaurant, near Daitokuji Temple, in Kyoto

Noren, a cloth hang on at the entrance of a restaurant, near Daitokuji Temple, in Kyoto

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Skillful hands putting a thin paper on the wooden frame of shoji, a papered sliding door which allows sunlight into a room

Skillful hands putting a thin paper on the wooden frame of shoji, a papered sliding door which allows sunlight into a room, in Kyoto, Japan

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Decorative wall with worn out roof tiles, at Daitokuji Temple, in Kyoto

Decorative wall with worn out roof tiles, at Daitokuji Temple, in Kyoto, Japan

Monday, February 11, 2008

Under a eave, at Gingakuji Temple, in Kyoto

Under a eave, at Gingakuji Temple, in Kyoto

Sunday, February 10, 2008

The mould of the moon, at Gingakuji Temple, in Kyoto

The mould of the moon, at Gingakuji Temple, in Kyoto
This is the zoom-in of the post and the flat on the top of the object means the moon. The sand, which contains more quartz than usual, is said to shine slightly at night by the light of the moon, Together with the object of the water surface close to it, this garden takes us to the realm of the fantasy and tranquility.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Tile roof at Nishi-Honganji Temple, in Kyoto

Tile roof at Nishi-Honganji Temple, in Kyoto

Friday, February 08, 2008

Stones in line, at Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple, in Kyoto

Stones in line, at Adashino Nenbutsuji Temple, in Kyoto

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Incense sticks in front of a building at Nanzenji Temple, in Kyoto

Incense sticks in front of a building at Nanzenji Temple, in Kyoto
We offer and burn incense sticks inside or outside the building of temples before praying.

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

The zoom-out of the previous post: the sand objects, meaning the water surface and the moon, in a garden, at Gingakuji Temple, in Kyoto

The zoom-out of the previous post: the sand objects, meaning the water surface and the moon, in a garden, at Gingakuji Temple, in Kyoto

Monday, February 04, 2008

The stripe on the sand, at Ginkakuji Temple, in Kyoto

The strip on the sand, at Ginkakuji Temple, in Kyoto
The stripe is a part of the object in a garden of Gingakuji Temple, one of the main attractions in Kyoto. The pattern is drawn on the sand just close to a small pond and means the water surface. The sand is said to contain more a-kind-of-quartz than usual and shines slightly at night by the full moon, though it is unfortunately closed at night and we cannot see it.

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Giving a toast to angles out there!

Giving a toast to angles out there, at Yamazaki distillery, in Kyoto
This is the inside of a cask and the inside is visible for visitors of this whiskey distillery, Yamazaki in Kyoto.

The inside might be full at first, but has been getting less due to the breathing of the cask. The sounder the whiskey sleeps, the more it mellows and, however, the less it gets. The missing one is said to be called 'Angels' Share' in Scotland. Regarding the rest and the color in the cask, it has been sleeping at least for ten years.

I hope the angles don't drink too much!

Have a nice weekend:-)

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Sashimi of fugu, blowfish


These are sliced blowfish or pufferfish, one of winter's fish with full of poison especially in the liver and ovary. The fish has very strong poison but delicious!! So we eat it at restaurants or buy cut or sliced fugu because the license is needed to cut and open the fish and remove the poison from it.

We eat the sashimi with cut green onion, grated Japanese radish, grated chill pepper, vinegar, soy sauce and more. This is surely delicious. However, I feel zousui more delicious, boiled rice with fugu soup, something of a Paella.

Friday, February 01, 2008

Monthly Theme day:when people think of my city...

maiko, Kyoto
Even to Japanese visitors outside Kyoto, like me living in Tokyo, Kyoto seems exotic because it has remained a old good Japan: old wooden architecture with a garden, many temples and shrines, tea ceremonies, women with kimono walking on the streets, which is hardly seen in Tokyo. Among them, maikos are Kyoto's icons. Their graceful carriage shows the sensitive side of Kyoto and their kimonos, together with hair sticks, wooden shoes, express the colorful side of Kyoto.

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More than 130 Daily Photo sites are participating in the 1st February theme, "when people think of my city...", 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.

Portland (OR), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Memphis (Tennessee), USA - Manila, Philippines - San Diego (CA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - New York City (NY), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - San Francisco (CA), USA - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - Mainz, Germany - Weston (FL), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Turin, Italy - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Bicheno, Australia - Durban, South Africa - Joplin (MO), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Stockholm, Sweden - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Brussels, Belgium - Chicago (IL), USA - Montpellier, France - Seattle (WA), USA - Mazatlan, Mexico - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Toulouse, France - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Susanville (CA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Helsinki, Finland - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Lisbon, Portugal - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Trujillo, Peru - Dunedin (FL), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - London, UK - Baziège, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mumbai, India - Naples (FL), USA - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Setúbal, Portugal - Stayton (OR), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Arradon, France - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Athens, Greece - Austin (TX), USA - Singapore, Singapore - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Jackson (MS), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Budapest, Hungary - Rotterdam, Netherlands - St Malo, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Cleveland (OH), USA - Nottingham, UK - Kansas City (MO), USA - The Hague, Netherlands - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Wrocław, Poland - Chateaubriant, France - Cheltenham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Monrovia (CA), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Toruń, Poland - Grenoble, France - Lisbon, Portugal - New Orleans (LA), USA - Sydney, Australia - Boston (MA), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Wichita (KS), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Christchurch, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Wailea (HI), USA - Aliso Viejo (CA), USA - St Francis, South Africa - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Seattle (WA), USA - Pasadena (CA), USA - Vienna, Austria - Orlando (FL), USA - Torun, Poland - Delta (CO), USA - Santa Fe (NM), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Paris, France - Stavanger, Norway - Niamey, Niger - Le Guilvinec, France - Bogor, Indonesia - Saarbrücken, Germany - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Juneau (AK), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Glasgow, Scotland - Chicago (IL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Sydney, Australia - Riga, Latvia - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Terrell (TX), USA - Terrell (TX), USA - Inverness (IL), USA