More glimpses of unfamiliar Japan

Most years on May 5th we cross over the river to the Suijin Matsuri in Kawado. This year we went instead to our local Suijin Matsuri in Tan...

Saotome, rice-planting maidens from last weekends Tauebayashi Matsuri up in Atoichi. Saotome appear in all kinds of rice planting ceremonies...

I had a thoroughly enjoyable time at the Atoichi Children's Tauebayashi Matsuri. Following a small ceremony in front of the school, the ...

On Sunday we drove up into the mountains to the village of Atoichi where we found a wonderful example of an old, wooden school building. It ...

The first Suijin site is a large tree on the bank of the river just next to the candy-colored bridge . This is the spot where the small ferr...

On Wednesday (May 5th) it was Childrens Day, but in my area it was also time for the annual Suijin Matsuri. Usually we go over the river to ...

Only opened in 2003, the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall memorializes the victims of the atomic bombing. Built underground, the surfac...

This little guy flew straight into our window and dropped like a stone. We put him in the shade up high out of reach of the local cats and a...

Went for a short walk along the mouth of the Gonokawa and couldn't resist some sunset shots.

Komainu, the pairs of guardian "lion/dogs" that guard the entrance to shrines, come in a variety of styles and forms. All the ones...