Within the larger Benten-Kutsu cave at Hasedera, there are one or two sub-caves so small you have to stoop to enter. Within the caves are hundreds of tiny figurines, all lined up.
Photo of the Day: Raked Garden
One of the gardens at Hasedera is a karesansui (raked pebble garden). It's a lovely, peaceful (despite the crowds) garden off to the side, with moss and a few boulders. The moss is misted from time to time, giving it a bit of a foggy, mysterious look, albeit briefly.
Photo of the Day: Gulp Gulp Gulp
Another day, another fish pond. This particular pond is at Hasedera, and is full of large koi. Most were happily swimming in circles, but one just kept opening his mouth wide and gulping.
Photo of the Day: Wishing Well
In the caves at Hasedera, there are one or two tiny ponds. One is full of coins. The other has a sprinkling. This is the full one just as a drop of water fell.
Photo of the Day: Lilies
Japan's seasons roll by drowning in wave after wave of flowers. Seriously—there is always something in bloom here. Right now, depending on which spot you visit, your eyes can feast on the very last of the azalea and irises (just the stragglers are left), brilliant roses, calla lilies, and a purple-and-white-flowered bush whose name escapes … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Lilies
Photo of the Day: Deep in Hasedera’s Cave
At Hasedera, there is a cave called Benten-Kutsu. Inside the cave, along the walls, are carvings of Benzaiten, the goddess of the sea, and her children. It's not a big cave by any means, nor is it deep. But it's dark and damp, and quite low in places. Being at the far end of the … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Deep in Hasedera’s Cave
Photo of the Day: Summertime is Jimbei Time
Japanese summers are hot. And humid. And loooong. It's hard work getting through those months. Luckily, the Japanese have designed a few different outfits to help things stay cool. The first, yukata, is a summer kimono of light cotton. While men's yukata are fairly plain and subdued, women's yukata burst with colour—floral patterns abound, with … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Summertime is Jimbei Time
Photo of the Day: Boatful ‘a’ Shells
It's sazae season down the Shonan coast. Sazae are, well, sea snails (or, more accurately, turban shells, a kind of mollusc). Mmmmmmboy, right? ...I'm not a big fan. I like escargots, but that's mostly because they're drowning in garlic butter, sometimes lost in pastry, and always small. Sazae are not small. The Japanese love them—grilled, … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Boatful ‘a’ Shells
Photo of the Day: Anchors
The afternoon before the typhoon, the fishermen and women along our stretch of beach hauled all their equipment and boats up as high as they could. That included this fine collection of anchors, which I'd never noticed before.
Photo of the Day: Kites, A Series
Waiting impatiently for the crows to finish with the moray eel, the kites flew circles in the sky.