One of Japan's more unusual (to an outsider) festivals has got to be Setsubun. Every February 3rd, adults across the country don demon masks and scare the wits out of their children and grandchildren, whose job it is to drive the demons out by tossing dried beans at them (mame maki), and shouting, "Oni wa … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Setsubun at Hachiman
Photo of the Day: Painted Panel
When you visit temples and shrines, be sure to look up. Guaranteed you'll be rewarded with beautiful carvings, and sometimes, you'll get a pretty paint job, too. This panel is from Komyo-ji, which you can read a tiny bit more about here.
Photo of the Day: Inked
Tattoo culture in Japan is *quite* a bit different than it is in many Western countries. And though times may be a-changin', with young'uns getting inked with seemingly increasing frequency, tattoes are still mostly considered to be a yakuza thing. Of course, that's a vast generalization—plenty of non-yakuza have them, too, particularly those whose work … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Inked
Photo of the Day: Through the Torii Gates
A row of red torii gates frame the path leading to Sasuke Inari Shrine. Today's photo is a bit of a cheat, as it's one from our Facebook page. Covered in fox figurines (Inari is a god who takes the form of a fox), nestled on the side of a hill, and with red torii … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Through the Torii Gates
Photo of the Day: Mini Melons, Blue Sky
These are honest-to-goodness real melons. Teeny tiny ones. They're called "uri" (pronounced "uli"), and come in several different varieties. I love these because they look like watermelons for tiny people. Maybe the Borrowers eat melons such as these...
Photo of the Day: Happy Hoppy
Hoppy (ホッピー), an almost non-alcoholic beer-like drink, is advertised on a red lantern at a bar just down the street from the inn. Red lanterns signify drinking establishments in Japan, giving nights in the city a warm red glow.
Photo of the Day: Ohenro-san? Obo-san? Hatted Man in the Street
From statue to flesh and blood, a hatted figure two days running. So I don't *actually* know if this fellow is indeed a pilgrim (ohenro-san) or priest (obo-san). In fact, since he's not wearing white, he probably isn't a pilgrim. And judging by his footwear (woven from plastic rope), he's probably not a priest. But, … Continue reading Photo of the Day: Ohenro-san? Obo-san? Hatted Man in the Street
Photo of the day: Wakame in the Wind
Wakame season began a few weeks ago, as mentioned in a previous post. But, as the season progresses, we eat less fresh wakame and more dried. First, of course, you have to dry it, though. So, our little stretch of beach finds itself covered in clothes lines full of wakame. Before hanging, the wakame is … Continue reading Photo of the day: Wakame in the Wind
Photo of the Day: Snowy Dragon
Throwback... Tuesday? This is a shot from our January 1st snowfall. It didn't last long, but it was fun to play around in. The temple at the top of the hill by the inn became our playground, with Kaede and Hisashi even having a bit of a snowball fight.
Photo of the Day: Two Trains in the Night
Hase Station is one of the "double track" stations, where trains running in opposite directions along the one-track line can meet and do a little switch over. The trains stop for a little longer than usual, which gave me the chance to hop off and run around to snap a photo.
女性専用 - Inn By The Sea Kamakura - Women's Guesthouse 