# More from Japan



## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Two young ladies in kimonos, standing by the old brick warehouses of the Port of Yokohama.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Great pics, I love Japan and have visited twice.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

My daughter was in Japan for a few years teaching English and was invited to one of her student's home. The student's mother was a professional dresser for traditional occasions and she dressed my daughter in one of their so very beautiful kimonos 
. We have some pictures of this and I will always treasure them. She enjoyed her time in Japan.
I'm sure you are too.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I was born in Tokyo while my father was stationed at Shiroi AFB. I don't remember anything from then but have been back a few times to visit family who have lived there to teach ESL classes. LOVELY country and such polite people!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

The Hikawa Maru, the only surviving ship from the Imperial Japanese Navy. She survived because she was in use as a hospital ship. After the war, she saw service as a luxury liner. She is now permanently anchored as a tourist attraction in the port of Yokohama.


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## Kriva (Dec 11, 2015)

I was born in Japan at Misawa AFB. My dad was in the Navy but Misawa had I think all 4 branches off the military on it. We left when I was 6 months old and I've never been back but love seeing pictures and trying to learn about the area. my mom was in love with the scenery and architecture, but didn't love living there. Part of the time they had to live off base so she was slightly more in the middle of things. During that time my brother was a 2 year old, curly blonde haired, blue eyed bundle of energy and my mom said everywhere she went people would gather around and want to touch his hair. I think it was overwhelming at times for her. This was in 1971/72.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Kriva said:


> my mom said everywhere she went people would gather around and want to touch his hair.


Yes, my mom said they did the same with me. Always wanted to touch me and were fascinated with our round eyes.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I lived in Japan a total of 3.5 years, back in mid to late 1980's. I used to speak Japanese rather well, but now have forgotten at least half of it. Yokohama is a nice city and has been cleaned up a lot since when I was there, as has Tokyo.

The lovely ladies are wearing a lightweight summer kimono worn often for festivals. August is a big month for festivals.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> I lived in Japan a total of 3.5 years, back in mid to late 1980's. I used to speak Japanese rather well, but now have forgotten at least half of it. Yokohama is a nice city and has been cleaned up a lot since when I was there, as has Tokyo.
> 
> The lovely ladies are wearing a lightweight summer kimono worn often for festivals. August is a big month for festivals.


Yokohama is a major port city. I can well imagine the seedy aspects in the heyday before the container ships overtook the cargo market.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

And I just noticed that the little flag emblem after my name has changed from Philippines to Japan without me making any changes.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Night life in Yokohama.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

We are back in Tokyo now. We kept the kids out of the way while our son and daughter-in-law moved. Now, we’re staying in the new house with the walls still stacked with boxes of stuff. The holidays are over, and folks are going back to work and school. 

And holy moly! These folks have schedules! Work, and school, and extracurriculars. I’ve been retired for 5 years. What the heck is a schedule?


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

No photos, but we went to a memorial park dedicated to the memory of the people lost in the 1923 Kanto earthquake that destroyed Yokohama and large parts of Tokyo. The quake flattened structures. Much of the cities buildings were made of wood. Cooking fires and ruptured gas mains created a horrific conflagration. Water pipes were ruptured, crippling the fire department response. More than 140,000 people lost their lives. 

After the war, a peace memorial was added with the names of those known to have been lost in the bombings of Tokyo.

The baby grandkid played on the ground. The elder one, who is almost 5, was mostly interested in the small creatures around the stream that flows through the park.

In one corner, there are a few markers, like tombstones, with inscriptions on them and places to stand incense sticks and little bowls for offerings of water or sake. I couldn’t help but be impressed with the elder grandkid. In his ramblings, he passed the markers. He has no inkling of the tragedy they commemorate. But he stopped, gave a formal bow, then continued on his bug hunt.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Japanese construction workers stretching and doing calisthenics before getting to work.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

The elder grandkid is in school today. I took the younger one on a stroll around the neighborhood. We found some historic buildings close by.

A building with a little tea shop inside. It may have been a tea shop all along, but I couldn’t read the placard.

And a temple complex tucked into the modern structures.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

if you look at the wooden sign above the tea shop you will see that the name of the shop is written in the old way, from right to left. But on the curtains, it is written in the modern way; left to right. This was a result mandated by US occupation of Japan. When written horizontally, it no is read from left to right , like English. When written vertically, it is read up to down, right to left columns.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

If you have time, go to the Edo Museum in Tokyo. It is well worth the effort. If they offer an English speaking guide, take them up on the offer. The design efforts they made to combat fire, an age old enemy, are fascinating.

It is somewhat near the Sumo stadium, another thing well worth the time/money to go see.

Also, The Tokyo Sky Tree, while super crowded and expensive, is still a total trip to go up. It's like something out of Star Wars; you are almost in the upper atmosphere, so it feels.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> If you have time, go to the Edo Museum in Tokyo. It is well worth the effort. If they offer an English speaking guide, take them up on the offer. The design efforts they made to combat fire, an age old enemy, are fascinating.
> 
> It is somewhat near the Sumo stadium, another thing well worth the time/money to go see.
> 
> Also, The Tokyo Sky Tree, while super crowded and expensive, is still a total trip to go up. It's like something out of Star Wars; you are almost in the upper atmosphere, so it feels.


Cool info on the tea shop signage. Thanks.

Our son and his family live near the sky tree. One of our favorite haunts is the long linear park there. We’ve been in the mall in the stem of the thing. We stayed in a hotel near there with the grandkids while our son and daughter-in-law moved to their new house. I didn’t get any photos of the cool colors on the tower at night, but I took some others.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

I missed a post. Wednesday was the 
last day of summer vacation. The elder grandkid went fishing with Mom and Grandpa.

Our favorite fishing spot was crowded today.

And he learned that, if you wear a glove, it doesn’t hurt when the crawdads pinch.

we caught several tadpoles, and a BUNCH of crawdads.





























































































And Grandpa took the easy way.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Took a stroll with the younger grandkid today. We ended up at Eko-in Temple. There are several features of the temple. But one that may resonate with folks in here is that many pets have been interred there. Apparently, the shogun who had the temple built had his favorite cat buried there, which started the tradition. 










The hall of prayers for the souls of a million animals.


















The temple also has some living feline residents.

















There’s quite a bit more to this temple. But that’s for another post.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Obviously a very enlightened Shogun!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

A bit more about the Eko-in temple we visited yesterday. This may interest @tinyliny

Sumida Ward, where the temple is located, has long been associated with the sumo tradition. Sumo tournaments were hosted in the temple during the Edo period (1603 - 1867). In 1909, a huge stadium was built (edit) next to the temple to house the tournaments and the attending wrestlers. The stadium was demolished in 1983, so it may, or may not, be the one tinyliny mentioned. In its place now stands a shiny modern office complex.

In 1937, the sumo wrestlers had a monument, called the Mound of Strength, erected on the temple grounds. New initiates into sumo will pray and offer incense at the monument seeking strength.


























The Mound of Strength









The office complex on the site of the old sumo stadium.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Continuing with the sumo theme.

During our morning walk, the little one and I encountered these fellows at their training gym.










This is only a few blocks from the house. There was another one a few blocks from the old apartment. It’s not unusual to see the wrestlers on the street, walking or cycling here and there. One fellow I see frequently is normally dressed in regular street clothes, but his size and hairstyle show he is a sumo. The other day, I saw him walking in his kimono.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

And more on the horsey front.

I noticed this marker on a corner during our morning walk. No idea what it commemorates. Both horse and human look sad.

I’ll ask our daughter-in-law to translate, probably on the weekend. She is a harried working mother with a boisterous 4 year old, and an adventurous 11 month old. Everyone is still getting settled into the new house. The kids seem to take delight in scattering things that have been put away.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

It’s official. Superman lives in Tokyo.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

We took a break from looking after the grandkids this weekend. We took a day trip to the city of Mito to see the Kairaku-en gardens. Surprisingly, it was the goodewyfe who got cabin fever first here in the big city. She wanted to spend a day walking in a rural area, or botanical garden. 

Kairaku-en was set up in the 1830s or ‘40s as the first public park in Japan. We spent the day among plum and cherry orchards,, had a picnic lunch in the shade of cedar and bamboo forests, and finished up with ice cream and coffee by the big lake.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

The first full week of school, with all the chaos of getting the eldest awake, fed, dressed, and off to the bus stop on time, has gone by. We celebrated with a quick trip to the crawdad hole on Saturday morning.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Mid September and mid October are times of autumn/harvest festivals, called Tsukimi here. It seems a bit low key here in the city. It may be a bigger deal in the rural areas. Our daughter-in-law and her family are rather secular, and don’t seem to celebrate these smaller occasions. The eldest grandkid learned of it during his Japanese lesson in kindergarten on Friday. He insisted that we mark the occasion by “enjoying the moon”

We had attended a funeral earlier in the evening, but saw the moon from our balcony before supper. Afterwards, grandkid #1 wanted to enjoy the moon in a traditional way with a pampas grass decoration and a rice dumpling treat called dango. He had already had his bath and changed for bed, so he wasn’t allowed back out on the balcony. We compromised by setting the decoration under the moon, and eating our dango inside the door with the moon still visible.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsukimi



A bit more about the festival.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

@Cordillera Cowboy this is all so interesting. Do you ever stop and think, what would teenage you have said if you could have told him what your future life looked like? Would he even have believed it?


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

ACinATX said:


> @Cordillera Cowboy this is all so interesting. Do you ever stop and think, what would teenage you have said if you could have told him what your future life looked like? Would he even have believed it?


He might have believed it, even hoped for it. I’ve always had a wanderlust. And a curiosity about the world beyond my rural upbringing. I still get a feeling of wonder each time I see something that I only saw in pictures, or an encyclopedia when I was young.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Found another site from @tinyliny ’s list of Tokyo attractions. Quite by accident, we found the Sumo stadium. It is near the Edo museum, and the now demolished old stadium.

The area we are in is famous for its sumo tradition. There are several sumo training gyms, called dojos, as other martial arts gyms are called. There was one in a rather traditional looking building near our son’s old apartment. I saw one near the current house during one of our recent morning walks. This one was not remarkable from the outside. But as we passed by, there were wrestlers training inside, as well as in the street by the door.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

How long are you planning to stay in Japan? I'm really enjoying your visit and wishing I could return for a visit of my own.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> How long are you planning to stay in Japan? I'm really enjoying your visit and wishing I could return for a visit of my own.


We are celebrating the youngest grandkid’s 1st birthday today. We will stay until the birthday of the eldest next month.

Making up for 2+ years of not being able to visit.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Tomorrow is a national holiday in Japan, called Respect for the Aged Day. For the occasion, youngest grandkid brought some handprint art home from daycare on Friday. He had one for each set of grandparents. Both the crane and the tortoise are symbolic of good fortune, and longevity here.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

So fun!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

We are packing up today in preparation for one of my favorite things in Japan. We will spend a day and a night at a ryokan with a hot spring bath house in Chiba Prefecture. 

The family of our daughter-in-law introduced us to the experience several years ago, and it’s been a feature of our visits ever since.



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryokan


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Cordillera Cowboy said:


> We are celebrating the youngest grandkid’s 1st birthday today. We will stay until the birthday of the eldest next month.
> 
> Making up for 2+ years of not being able to visit.



My son was born in Tokyo September of 1990. 
October is the best month of all. so pretty and still warm, unless you get a TaiFoon


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> My son was born in Tokyo September of 1990.
> October is the best month of all. so pretty and still warm, unless you get a TaiFoon


One just hit the south of the country. It was a weak tropical storm by the time it got to us.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

A day in the life:

We shipped a suitcase full of baby and kid necessities to the ryokan we will be spending the weekend at. Just not enough room in the car. Both parents are at work, we’re watching the kids. The guy came to pick it up. He measured It, punched the numbers into a handheld gadget, and said something to me in Japanese.

I called the bilingual 4 year old to interpret for me. The kid isn’t keen on strangers, but he mumbled something to the pickup guy. The guy replied to him in Japanese. The 4 year old whispered in my ear, “He wants coins.”

I paid the man.


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

So glad the taiFoon did not affect your trip. I was thinking of you while listening to the news about the storm.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

More sumo stuff:

The Nomisukuni Shrine is only a few blocks from our son’s place. It’s really small, and tucked away in a mostly residential area. A bit of google work informed me that it is the shrine to the deified spirit of the inventor of sumo style wrestling.
When we first arrived, it was blocked off, and workmen were inside.

the best info I got on it was from trip advisor, where one commenter mentioned that the shrine is apparently not permanently attended or maintained. As the basin used for ritual purification before prayer was empty of water.

The maintenance I saw earlier made sense after I learned that a national level sumo tournament is currently underway. The tournament will last for 15 days.




















https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumo


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Still more sumo stuff:

One of my landmarks as I wander around is this corner clothing store. It caters to the wrestlers. Of course they offer the competition and ceremonial clothing needed by the wrestlers. But they also carry street clothes in sizes to fit large and very large men.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

I’ll put up a bit about our visit to the ryokan after I get the photos organized. But here’s a teaser with the entrance to the place.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Cool stuff on our morning walk.

I often wander the small side streets when I take the youngest out for a mid morning walk. We often find some out of the way bits of history. This morning, we came across a tiny shrine to someone named Nakajima Ise. The kid had fallen asleep by then, so I sat on a bench and googled the fellow. He turned out to be a minor artisan who is most famous for adopting a kid named Hokusai.

Hokusai grew up to become an artist most famous for a series of 36 views of Mount Fuji done in woodblock prints. His work is iconic, and can be seen depicted all over the place.



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokusai




There are many of these small shrines dotted all around the city. This is the first I’ve seen where random passers by stop to pay homage. While I was there, a couple of men in business attire, and a small group of construction workers stopped and reverently bowed and stood for a moment.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Probably the most famous work by Hokusai.



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Across the street from the Nakajima Ise shrine is a small shrine on the site of the home of Lord Kira. 

Kira was one of the principal people in the events depicted in novels and films of the 47 Ronin.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

@Cordillera Cowboy are these shrines located in a place of signifigance, e.g. the place has some relationship to the person or thing it is honoring or do people just put them up wherever?


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

ACinATX said:


> @Cordillera Cowboy are these shrines located in a place of signifigance, e.g. the place has some relationship to the person or thing it is honoring or do people just put them up wherever?


The only ones I can make a call on are the ones with a bit of English on the placard. Of those, it seems to be a mix. Many of them say things like “birthplace of… , site of former residence of… , site of former workshop of…”. Others simply list the achievements of the person. Still others are dedicated to one or another of the deities iIn the Buddhist tradition.

I suppose that some of those last could be acts of charity by groups or individuals to show devotion or to commemorate some event or another.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

I mentioned that the works of the artist, Hokusai, are iconic and representations of them can be found all over the place. 

Here is one of them in a mosaic on a local train station.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

We attended the Shichi-go-san (7-5-3) ceremony of the elder grandkid today. This is a celebration that marks the 7th and 3rd birthdays of young girls, and the 5th birthday of young boys. 

This was conducted at the Ushijima shrine of Tokyo, It involved a long session with a professional photographer, and both sets of grandparents, then, a ritual blessing by the priest of the shrine.

Afterwards, we were treated by the parents of our daughter-in-law to a traditional meal in an upscale restaurant.

For the occasion, the celebrant chose a kimono with a Pokémon theme in the design. His younger brother was dressed in traditional Filipino clothing.











Nap time prior to the festivities. The best chance at seeing this outfit before all the action.









The celebrant, dressed for the occasion.









The guardian of this shrine is said to be a bull demon that rampaged around the grounds in the year 1251.










The entrance to the temple portion of the shrine. The four posted tori gate is said to be an unusual feature, as most have only two posts.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

WOW that Pokemon kimono is stunning! I'm loving all your pics. The baby is very handsome in his traditional garb as well.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> WOW that Pokemon kimono is stunning! I'm loving all your pics. The baby is very handsome in his traditional garb as well.


Thanks! Glad folks are enjoying it.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

What little I could glean about the Ushijima shrine from the information printed in English.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

On the morning walks with the younger grandkid, we often pass by a religious compound of some sort. There is no tori gate, so I doubt that it’s a shrine or temple. There appear to be some residences and outbuildings inside, as well as stones and markers such as those found in shrines. It has sections on two separate city blocks, so it is a fair sized complex.

Today, we walked down an alley on one side of it. I noticed a smaller alley leading into the complex. There was no gate to discourage the public from access, so we walked in. It led to a cemetery. 









I suppose that I am a bit of an odd duck, but I find cemeteries to be calming and peaceful places, as well as sometimes offering a glimpse into history. We had a look around. Over 99% of the dead in Japan are cremated. They are entombed in close, neat rows, with a marker over the remains. Families often leave wooden prayer boards at the gravesite, along with offerings of flowers, incense, and water or sake.

I was drawn to a couple of graves, one with an offering of cigarettes, the other with a beer. I felt a bit of kinship there, since we military veterans will often leave tobacco, alcohol, or coffee at the grave of a departed companion when we visit.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I can totally relate! I used to love strolliing through Japanese cemeteries. They are peaceful. I loved the often chaotic and tumbled down feel of some of the graves, and the sound of the crows and smell of incences, and sometimes soft chatting of people. The closeness of things in Japan can be very comforting , as well as irritating. When I came back to the US I felt how lonely it is here, what with people so isolated from each other.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I used to wander around Tokyo on my bicycle all the time . I loved finding new shrines and other places of beauty tucked into the most unexpected corners. The trick was finding it again the next day if I wanted to see it again. This was pre-cell phone or GPS days.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> I used to wander around Tokyo on my bicycle all the time . I loved finding new shrines and other places of beauty tucked into the most unexpected corners. The trick was finding it again the next day if I wanted to see it again. This was pre-cell phone or GPS days.


LOL. The goodewyfe and I have had a good laugh at that. Filipinos have a tradition called pasalubong, where a returning traveler will bring gifts from the place they visited, One of our friends had A specific request for a pair of blue wine glasses. I spotted a pair in a window with other glassware, and carefully retraced my path back to the house so I could find it again.

When I tried to show them to the goodewyfe, we couldn’t find the place. We tried several times, and she started doubting my sanity, calling it the magic disappearing glass shop.

We did finally find it. Right where I left it. But it turned out to be a wholesale distributor that is shuttered unless a client is picking up an order.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> I can totally relate! I used to love strolliing through Japanese cemeteries. They are peaceful. I loved the often chaotic and tumbled down feel of some of the graves, and the sound of the crows and smell of incences, and sometimes soft chatting of people. The closeness of things in Japan can be very comforting , as well as irritating. When I came back to the US I felt how lonely it is here, what with people so isolated from each other.


Some of the markers in this cemetery are scorched and cracked. The upright portion of one of these is crumbled. Bits of it are piled on the base, leaving the name of the person unreadable. My best guess on these is that they were there during the great earthquake and fire of 1923, or the conflagrations from the WW2 bombings.

I thought of that tumbled down grave as we continued our walk. There were no old flowers or any signs that the grave had been visited. Perhaps there are no longer any living relatives to pay their respects.

On our return, I stopped into a convenience store and bought a bottle of water and a paper cup. I left them there before going back home.

On thinking of it later, it could be the opening scene in a horror story. “Long sleeping evil spirit awakened by clueless tourist.”


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I couldn't like that post an more! you have such a wonderful 'spirit' in you, already.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> I couldn't like that post an more! you have such a wonderful 'spirit' in you, already.


Thank you.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Playing catch-up on photos. Here’s the family photo from the Shichi-go-San, taken outside the shrine. Both sets of grandparents here.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

One last night in Yokohama before flying home tomorrow.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

Wow, what a view!!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Apparently in Japan, it is customary for the birthday celebrant to give gifts, as well as receiving them . 

everyone got books today.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

We are back home in the Philippines now. We arrived late last night after a nice flight, and a long cramped bus ride from the airport. We slept in this morning. I took it easy, and had a look at the catch up I have to do after a 2 month absence. 

The goodewyfe said she was going to take it easy, but instead, joined the ranch crew in harvesting calabasa (pumpkins/squash).


We spent our last day celebrating the 5th birthday of our eldest grandkid. We went to an aquarium, then spent the night and a day in Yokohama.

I’m behind in posting photos, soI’ll keep updating this thread for a while longer.

In the meantime,

The kids, admiring an ocean sunfish.









And a sample of the cosmopolitan nature of Yokohama. Oktoberfest!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Some formal photos of the family.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Photographic odds and ends.

An apartment building in Tokyo. It probably doesn’t mean what I think it means.




























Music at a street festival on the waterfront in Yokohama.


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## My Salty Pony (Jan 1, 2022)

Great Pictures @Cordillera Cowboy, this is a very interesting thread, thanks for sharing


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

More from the Eko-in temple that I mentioned earlier. 

In the mid 17th century (1650s), there was a great fire, apparently 3 separate fires over 2 consecutive days, in Edo (Tokyo). Tens of thousands of people lost their lives. Entire families were wiped out, leaving no relatives to bury the dead. The temple was built on the site of the mass graves of the victims. This started a tradition of the temple being a place of burial and/or remembrance of the neglected, of criminals, and of stillborn infants.

The memorial tower for the victims of the fire, erected in 1675. I think the statue was added later.











The memorial for the stillborn.

















The memorial stone for a famous thief. Rubbing the white stone with a pebble is said to bring a person a measure of the luck that the thief had in eluding the authorities for many years.

during my visits, I saw a middle aged woman doing this. I also saw a young man take a pebble from his small backpack, rub the stone with it, and replace the pebble into his backpack.


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## My Salty Pony (Jan 1, 2022)

Japans culture is so interesting, thanks for the pictures and history..  .


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Some photos from the ryokan at the hot spring. I didn’t get to spend much time in the hot bath as I would have liked. Tending to a pair of little ones is rather time consuming. But we spent one overnight, with a bountiful traditional dinner, and then breakfast the next morning. 

We typically dress for dinner in the light kimonos provided by the inn. They are incredibly comfortable and relaxing to wear. But keeping a rambunctious 4 year old contained, and wrestling a 1 year old into a kimono, plus trying to get cutsie photos of wiggly kids in kimonos left us no time to change ourselves.

















Big brother is a bit frustrated trying to get the little one to sit still.










But we got our photos finally.

































Don’t know why some of them showed up double. Sorry.


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