Images from the Asakusa Toro Nagashi-2018.August.11
A Toro Nagashi is a Japanese ceremony in which people float paper lanterns
down a river to commemorate the souls of the dead.
Tag Archives: Japanese culture
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.
:::heaven on earth:::
201６年５月５日
Yesterday, I visited Ashikaga Flower Park with my dear friend “M”, who is pictured here. Ashikaga is known for its grand wisteria gardens; believe me, they are indeed grand！ The park is open almost year-round and when wisteria is not in season, they showcase flowers such as clematis, roses, and tulips.
Ashikaga Flower Park
Strawberry Sake
Over the weekend, my husband and I infused sake with two pints of fresh strawberries. Two days ago, I did the first straining to remove the strawberries. Today, the sake went through a second filtering to remove any bits of strawberries that remained after the initial straining. We are going to pour our first glass tonight!
Do you want to try making this kind of infused sake at home?
Here is the recipe!
Recipe: Strawberry-infused sake
花見・cherry-blossom viewing
During Japan’s 花見/hanami season, visitors to Minobusan Kuonji Temple enjoy taking photographs of the temple’s numerous cherry-blossom trees, which are blooming in abundance.
Yamanashi Prefecture
2016年4月2日
Four
A group of friends visit Hasadera Temple on a rainy March day.
Kamakura, Japan
March 2016
I promise that my next post will be writing. Recently, I purchased a new camera and have been eager to experiment with it! Cheers!
Path to Prayer
On a rainy March day, a woman stops to pray at Hasadera Temple.
Kamakura, Japan
March 2016
Great Buddha of Kamakura
This bronze statue of the Amida Buddha can be found at Kotokuin Temple in Kamakura, Japan. It has a height of 13.35 meters, making it the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in Japan. The Kamakura Buddha was cast in 1252.
March, 2016
Perfect Plums
Plum trees in Japan are starting to bloom. Spring is here!
Kofu, Japan
March 2016
Closing Time
Two middle-school boys ride their bikes home in the late afternoon.
Kofu, Japan
March 2016
sundry folly 