Their songs were sung without a care
for those who slumbered soundly there.
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This morning, I was happy to be awoken by the cheerful songs of some little barn swallows.
Kofu, Japan
July, 15th, 2017
Category Archives: Japan
One Thousand Hopes
Please burn us when dark evenings yawn.
and joyful days will surely dawn.
I recently finished folding one thousand origami cranes (known in Japan as Senbazuru) as a gift for a friend who is expecting her first child. This was my first time completing such a project. When I began the folding, my cranes looked a bit bedraggled, but after making 150 of them, I began to develop a technique.
There is a Japanese legend that says a wish will be granted to anyone who folds a thousand cranes. It is common for people to present them as gifts to family and cherished friends.
electrical elevation
An electrician in Kofu, Japan wires a newly built supermarket for electricity.
2017/June/17
flicking away flies
A participant in the 2017 Shingen-Ko Festival waits with her horse during a break in the procession.
2017年4月8日・Kofu, Japan/甲府
Don’t Shoot！・撃たないで！
A participant in the 2017 Shingen-Ko Festival stops to strike a pose for the crowd.
2017年4月8日・Kofu, Japan/甲府
夜のしだれ桜・Weeping Cherry Tree at Night
六義園/Rikugien
Tokyo, Japan
2017年3月27日
Oiran Costume Play Experience!
I normally don’t post pictures of myself on Sundry Folly, but today I am going to make an exception. Two months ago, in early October, I went with a good friend to Studio Nanairo in Tokyo’s Asakusa district to have an Oiran cosplay photo experience. Oiran were courtesans from Japan’s Edo period known for their beauty and for their wit. They were expected to be well-educated and skilled in traditional arts like calligraphy and flower arranging.
Not only did Studio Nanairo provide the costumes, they also set our hair and did our makeup. I was thrilled that they had a blond wig which matched my hair! Three 5×7 prints and digital copies of those three selected photos were included in the standard package that we chose. For an additional fee, the studio included a fourth image on the picture data CD.
It really was a wonderful and unique experience that I would recommend to anyone with an adventurous side who is interested in Japanese culture and/or history.
The image above is one of the shots from my solo shoot. My friend and I took many photos together, but for her privacy, I will not be posting any of those.
If you live in Japan or if you will be visiting Tokyo soon and would like to set up an appointment at Studio Nanairo, please click on the following link.
Their online appointment system is extremely easy to use and is available is several languages, including English.
Where You Roam
A horse at Taniguchi Farms in Kiyosato, Japan enjoys an afternoon snack.
2016/September/25
wet wings
A bird in Kofu, Japan weathers a late summer typhoon rain.
September 2016
Untitled
Two young boys expend excess summer energy at Kofu’s Kose Sport’s Park.
2016年7月27日
Kofu, Japan
