Bon Odori Summer Festivals

Posted on by helenkamakura

  Japanese summers are pretty spectacular. They buzz (cicadas) and DON DON DON (taiko drums). They whistle and gong and chant (festivals). They're burning hot and impossibly humid. But if you let the music drifting from the festival grounds carry you along, not only will you make it to fall without melting into a puddle … Continue reading Bon Odori Summer Festivals

Daibutsu in Chalk

Posted on by helenkamakura

At this spring's Hase Ichi (Hase Market), there was a big blackboard for kids to colour all over while their parents browsed booths selling knickknacks, art, and food. I've been struggling to draw the Daibutsu, but after seeing these two chalk drawings, I think I can do it.

Jizo-San, All Lined Up

Posted on by helenkamakura

Hase Dera has a little spot reserved for praying for lost babies and children. It's a beautiful area, with a stream, candles, a spot to pray, and hundreds and hundreds of statues of Jizo-san. Jizo-san protects all sorts of people, most notably children, babies and mizuko (water children). Mizuko are babies that never got a chance … Continue reading Jizo-San, All Lined Up

Samurai Walking

Posted on by helenkamakura

Samurai like to take in the sights and sounds of Kamakura, too. These two are part of a tour guide/PR group called Iza. They take groups of tourists around town, all dressed up in old-school gear, and give them a rundown of the history of Kamakura. We've bumped into a group of them in the … Continue reading Samurai Walking

Textiles

Posted on by helenkamakura

Indigo-coloured fabric, traditional tie-dyeing, embroidery, weaving—Japanese textiles rock my socks. Both of these photos are from a little souvenir shop by Hase Dera. It's a fantastic little store full of used kimono, dishes, geta sandals, and all sorts of other knickknacks that are so tempting to buy. And the shopkeeper is just lovely.