Photo of the Day: Incense

These are little incense sticks stuck in ash, though they sort of look like candles on a grey birthday cake. Waving the smoke over your body is supposed to help heal it. So, if you had a bad shoulder, you would wave it over your shoulder. If you thought you could go for a better … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Incense

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