Category Archives: Japan

Delightful Photography of Japan

Buddha Statue in Kyoto, Japan

Posted on December 7th, 2015 by

Temples and Shrines, and Buddha’s OH MY!

Everywhere you go in Kyoto, there are shrines, temples and gardens. I can’t think of a place I went that didn’t have at least one or more of the three…sometimes all three at the same time! It is said Kyoto has over 2000 shrines and temples from small to exquisitely grand (in a zen way of course). Just walking down the sidewalk, I found this little temple. I said Buddha in my title, but perhaps a Bodhisattva or some other early divine person. With so many places to pray, it is sometimes hard for a western walker to know where they stand, but I think that is perfectly Japanese.

Buddha Statue in Kyoto, Japan
Buddha Statue in Kyoto, Japan

Photo Technical Info

Neat Rows of Buddhist Monk Slippers, Kyoto, Japan

Posted on December 3rd, 2015 by

Taking Off Your Shoes in Japan

The Japanese are a trusting lot! Before entering a Buddhist temple, you remove your shoes. Sometimes you carry them around in a little plastic bag, but generally you just leave them on a shoe rack by the entrance. The same is often expected if you are carrying an umbrella…best to not track water all over a temple or store. Of course, my shoes (not that anyone would want my traveling shoes) and my umbrella were always exactly where I left them. Not only are the Japanese trusting, they are also trustworthy!

I just loved these neat rows of slippers the monks wear. They were lined up outside what is functioning currently as the primary temple at Chion-in.

Neat Rows of Buddhist Monk Slippers, Kyoto, Japan
Neat Rows of Buddhist Monk Slippers, Kyoto, Japan

Photo Technical Info

  • Aperture: ƒ/3.2
  • Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
  • Taken: 13 November, 2015
  • Focal length: 31mm
  • ISO: 2000
  • Location: 35° 0.3708′ 0″ N 135° 46.99′ 0″ E
  • Shutter speed: 1/400s
  • Title: Neat Rows of Buddhist Monk Slippers, Kyoto, Japan

Fall at Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto, Japan

Posted on November 30th, 2015 by

Finding Fall Color

Hitting fall color in Japan to me seems a bit like hitting the cherry blossoms. You can shoot for the perfect time, but nature sometimes has other ideas. Technically I was a bit early for the “perfect” fall color time, but the maples were just starting to turn! This is Kiyomizu-dera, a buddhist temple with a FANTASTIC view of downtown Kyoto. I actually came back on my last night in Kyoto, but realized when I arrived I didn’t have the entrance fee (I left my wallet back at the hotel). I had followed a big searchlight in the sky that brought me right back to this lovely spot.

Fall at Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto, Japan
Fall at Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto, Japan

Photo Technical Info

Tokyo Sunrise

Posted on June 1st, 2015 by

Big, Big City

The sunrise endlessly is interesting to me, it’s just SO incredibly difficult for me to get up for. There are two problems. First, I am not a morning person, though this is frequently aided by jet-lag. Hawaii is a great example…I am usually awake by 3 or 4 am easy. The second problem is breakfast. If you want to eat at the hotel (one of my economizing tips) you have a problem. Generally there is not a pre-dawn buffet and if you get out, it’s often difficult to make it back in time to partake of the (in my case) free food! Sure this gives you a great opportunity to sample cafe’s, but I tend to like to save that for an economical lunch (free breakfast, econimical lunch, then a dinner wow). This sunrise was captured from the hotel breakfast! Since I was on a really high floor, it was the perfect compromise!

Tokyo Sunrise
Tokyo Sunrise

Photo Technical Info

Early Spring Flower at the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Japan

Posted on May 25th, 2015 by

Gardens of the Imperial Palace

I had not visited the grounds of the Imperial Palace on my previous trips to Tokyo. The Palace is not a site you can just visit. There are a limited number of tickets and you have to plan in advance which is not exactly my strong suit. I tend to like to go with the flow on trips and when you have an appointment for a site at 10am, you HAVE to be somewhere despite what wonders you find along the way. The East Garden is completely open to the public, but given that I couldn’t see the palace, I never bothered. After my visit, I am sorry this was only my first visit to the gardens. The site is a huge green-space and though I was too early for the cherry blossoms, other flowers were blooming. This flower was perhaps a bee’s paradise!

Early Spring Flower at the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Japan
Early Spring Flower at the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Japan

Photo Technical Info

Veins of a Dark City

Posted on November 27th, 2014 by

Dark City

I visited Tokyo almost a year ago and I long to return (spoiler I am at least twice in 2015). It is a vibrant place with more energy then one city should be allowed on its own, but I don’t think Tokyo could be any other way. This rendition is from the window of my hotel room, looking over a city that never seems to end. The highway struck me and I was looking for a way to make it stand out more in the photo as it did when I was there.

Veins of a Dark City
Veins of a Dark City

Photo Technical Info

Ornate Door at Meiji Jingu

Posted on December 26th, 2013 by

Details

A quick post today…this door caught my eye when first entering Meiji Jingu. It’s a simple door, wonderfully carved but not the one you would go through. There is a much larger entry to the left, but I found this one…I don’t know why, but I was drawn to it’s smallness. I was drawn to it’s simplicity.

Ornate Door at Meiji Jingu
Ornate Door at Meiji Jingu by W. Brian Duncan

Prayers of the World

Posted on December 12th, 2013 by

Writing your Dreams

I knew very little of Meiji Jingu Shrine before I visited. I knew what the guidebook told me about the space to honor the spirit of the Emperor and his wife. The site is full of tourists, but also with regular Japanese people spending time in ceremony. It was a strange cosmic convergences where the practitioners lost in the murmurations of prayer form some harmonious counterpoint with the wandering spirits of overwhelmed travelers. Perhaps we are one in the same, no different as we both seek something we can’t understand or begin to explain.

All Languages Welcome

One of the things people do at the temple is purchase one of these cards (Ema) to write their dreams. I am not certain dream is the correct word. Prayer is likely more accurate, but the former seemed accurate for the few cards that I could decipher. What struck me was the variety of language contained in the Ema. Shinto does not make some of the demands of other religions. You are generally not required to profess your faith, which seems a very open and inviting.

Prayers of the World
Prayers of the World by W. Brian Duncan

Evening Lanterns at Senso-ji Temple

Posted on December 5th, 2013 by

A Mass of People

Senso-ji Temple is a wonderfully interesting place. You see the Tokyo Sky Tree off in the distance…the most modern of Tokyo. At the same time you are standing at a Temple site older than Tokyo itself. It is an odd reality, but one that fits Tokyo perfectly. There are always a large number of people at the site, even after it closes. I spent my time there eating the best bean buns I have ever had and taking photos up to try and keep the people out of my shots. I really enjoyed these lanterns.

Evening Lanterns at Senso-ji Temple
Evening Lanterns at Senso-ji Temple by W. Brian Duncan

Budding Tree in Japan

Posted on December 2nd, 2013 by

Convergence

I was walking through Shinjuku Garden one cloudy fall day when I found ALL of the photographers in the park. Keep in mind this is a very big and absolutely beautiful park, but everyone with a camera was around this tree. There were literally people runny to hurry up and get to it before me…though I really was never sure why. When I got home, the bokeh reminded me of a Claude Monet painting so, though this photo doesn’t have enough blue to be a water lily, it was most definitely inspired by them.

Budding Tree in Japan
Budding Tree in Japan by W. Brian Duncan