New Year Food - Sweet Black Soybeans (Kuromame) Made With Sumikko Gurashi 黒豆とすみっコぐらし

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

What do you think this is?

Not only cawaii but functional! 可愛いだけでなく実用的！

Red Bougainvillea At December End 年末の赤いブーゲンビリア

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I wrote about bougainvillea before, but that was pink. This time I found red ones in my neighborhood. 

Red bougainvillea 赤いブーゲンビリア

Long Walk from Zojoji Temple to Atago Shrine😊 増上寺から愛宕神社まで散歩しました😊

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The first photo shows 3cm-tall wooden dolls of a cow (left) and an ox (right) sold in 2021—the Year of the Ox—at Zojoji Temple. Near Zojoji Temple is Seishoji Temple. It is not very famous, but its main gate features the statues of the four heavenly kings: Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa, Vaiśravaṇa, and Dhṛtarāṣṭra (photos six, seven, and eight). After enjoying the serene atmosphere at Seishoji Temple, a few-minute walk brings you to the Atago Tunnel, where you will see a sign indicating that Atago Shrine is close by. The walk from Zojoji Temple to Atago Shrine is very refreshing.

Temples and shrines in Tokyo differ from those in Kyoto and Nara in two ways. First, Tokyo's are relatively new because most were established during the Edo period (1603–1867), and some were burned down during World War II and later rebuilt.

Second, most temples and shrines in Tokyo are surrounded by or squeezed right next to high-rise buildings—such as Zojoji Temple sitting very close to Tokyo Tower. This often ruins the tranquil atmosphere, which is why I don't usually visit shrines or temples in Tokyo. However, visiting Zojoji and Seishoji made me realize that Tokyo's temples might not be so bad after all.

Wooden dolls of cow and ox I bought at Zojoji Temple 増上寺で買った雌牛と雄牛の人形

Netsuke - Wind and Thunder Gods, Masks, and Blowfish🐡 根付 - 風神雷神、面、フグ🐡

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I've written many posts about netsuke. According to Britannica, netsuke is an ornamental togglelike piece, usually of carved ivory, used to attach a medicine box, pipe, or tobacco pouch to the obi (sash) of a Japanese man’s traditional dress. 

Because of their function, netsuke need to be very small—around 3 cm—making them miniature and delicate, like the three pieces on display below at the Tokyo National Museum.

Earthquake Clouds, Rainbow, Moon 地震雲、虹、月

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What's this? I took these pictures early morning a few days ago... 

"Umai bo," small, puffed, corn snack? うまい棒？

Or nine tails of a fox? 九尾の狐？

Some say that these are earthquake clouds, i.e., clouds predicting imminent earthquakes, while others are against the claim saying there is little support for it. I don't know which is true but these clouds were so beautiful that I decided to include other beautiful photos I took before of the rainbow, moon and clouds...

Autumn Leaves - Red Gives Me Strength! 紅葉 - 赤ってパワフル！

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These days I can't help but take photos of autumn leaves, especially red ones. Because I need RED😝!

 

Red stands out 赤が際立つ

"Lemon" or "Remon"😅 檸檬の「レ」は「L」？「R」？😅

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I didn't know that lemons fruit in winter. 

Lemon tree レモン

Pittosporum Tobira (Japanese Cheesewood) トベラ

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This is Japanese cheesewood (Pittosporum tobira). Although these red seeds are edible, they are sticky and have no taste or smell, and aren't yummy at all. (But the flowers smell sweet while leaves smell cheese, which is why it's called Japanese cheesewood.)

The term "tobira" contained in its name is a Japanese word, meaning "door." The plant is named as such because a sprig of this (or holly) is hung on the door on the day of setsubun, i.e., February 3, together with a baked sardine head. This is a ritual for setsubun, i.e., the date before the beginning of spring on the lunisolar calendar, to expel evil spirits.  

May 2022

With crane flies in May 2022　ガガンボと

Claustrophobia and Claustrophilia - Camellia Sasanqua 閉所恐怖と閉所愛好 - 山茶花

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A colleague of mine has claustrophobia. He avoids crowded elevators and trains, which is pretty difficult in Tokyo, but this ant seems to be trapped voluntarily in the center of this pink camellia sasanqua....

Ochna Serrulata (Mickey Mouse Plant) ミッキーマウスツリー

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This is Ochna serrulata or Mickey Mouse plant in a greenhouse at Koishikawa Botanical Garden. So cute isn't it!!

Ochna serrulata オクナ・セルラタ

Sterculia Brevissima ステルキュリア・ブレビッシマ

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This is Sterculia brevissima at Koishikawa Botanical Garden in Tokyo. 

Sterculia brevissima ステルキュリア・ブレビッシマ