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Visiting Meiji Shrine – A photographic guide

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Here’s a quick visual guide to visiting a Japanese shrine, shot at Meiji Shrine with model Marino.

Visiting Meiji Shrine – Enter through the torii gate.

Enter the shrine through the large wooden torii gate. There may be torii gates at each of the entrances at it marks the division between the outside world and a sacred space (Some shrines have a tunnel of torii gates such as Fushimi Inari Taisha  in Kyoto).

Visiting Meiji Shrine – Cleansing the hands at the purification trough

At the purification trough (chōzuya or temizuya) visitors traditionally wash their hands and mouth before entering the inner part of the shrine.

Visiting Meiji Shrine

Visiting Meiji Shrine – Prayers at the main hall

At the main hall (shaden) visitors say their prayers. Traditionally you throw a coin into the offering box, ring the bell, bow twice, clap twice, bow, pray, clap twice and bow.

Visiting Meiji Shrine – Reading your fortune with an omikuji

You can buy an omikuji (fortune paper) to learn your future. Some shrines even have these in English. It will tell you if you’re going to be lucky or unlucky in the coming months. Usually there are trees or ropes to which you can tie your omikuji, but at Meiji Shrine I think you’re just meant to take it home with you.

Visiting Meiji Shrine – Writing prayers on an ema tablet

Write your prayers on an ema (wooden prayer tablet) and then hang the tablet on the rack in the temple grounds so that your wishes will hopefully be answered.

Visiting Meiji Shrine – Hanging the ema tablet

Buy an omamori for protection. There are also omamori for specific needs, these include health, love, safe driving and passing school exams (these are often seen on the bags of school children).

Visiting Meiji Shrine – Buy a lucky omamori for some divine protection

Hidemi Tamayose 9th Dan Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan

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Hidemi Tamayose 9th Dan Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan

Hidemi Tamayose 9th Dan Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan, the latest subject in the Karate Masters Portrait Project. A lovely man, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of traditional Okinawan weaponry. In the photograph above he is holding a horse bridle nunchaku.

Hidemi Tamayose 9th Dan Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan

Hidemi Tamayose 9th Dan Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan

Philippe Starck – In Tokyo and in the Kitchen

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Asahi Beer Hall, Asakusa, Tokyo by Philippe Starck

French designer Philippe Starck, the vision behind creations including the Tokyo Asahi Beer building and its golden radish poo flame.

He has also designed some iconic household objects including his modern take on the lemon squeezer and the corkscrew.

Lemon Squeezer by Philippe Starck

Designers will look at these objects and note “an interesting interplay of form and function”. Photographers will look at the images and think, “I bet all those polished surfaces were a nightmare to shoot”. Both groups would be dead on.

Corkscrew by Philippe Starck

EMJ Fashion Styling Glamour Giveaway

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EMJ Fashion Styling Glamour Giveaway – Before & After

A few weeks ago Elsie Jaime of EMJ Fashion Styling told me she was doing a glamour giveaway and asked if I could take a couple of “After” photos. She’d snap a quick pic at the start of the day, and then after the team has done their magic, they’d stop by my studio for a  portrait. Linda Portillo underwent the transformation, and was more than pleased with the results 🙂

EMJ Fashion Styling Glamour Giveaway –  Linda

And here’s the team:

Stylist: Elsie Jaime (EMJ Fashion Styling)
Hair: A. LaQuin
MUA: Summer Johnson
Dress and accessories: Chandelier Boutique
Photographer: Chris Willson

 

EMJ Fashion Styling Glamour Giveaway –  Linda

ASIMO

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ASIMO

ASIMO

While up in Tokyo I met up with my old friend ASIMO.

ASIMO

ASIMO

We had a falling out a few years ago when I bought a Suzuki Swift rather than the Honda S2000, but we’re back to talking again. At least I’m talking and he’s staring vacantly in my direction.

ASIMO

ASIMO

ASIMO showed me his new dance moves, and he seemed to be able to run a little faster than last time we met.

ASIMO

ASIMO

I asked if he’d been programmed with Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics. He nodded, but for a brief moment I’m sure one of his eyes glowed red.

Miss International Beauty Pageant in Okinawa 2012

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Miss Japan

Miss International Beauty Pageant in Okinawa 2012 took place on October 21st.

Miss New Zealand

As the audience arrived they wandered between photographs of the girls in swimsuits and heels.

Ryukyu Dancers and Eisa Drummers

The ceremony opened with some traditional Ryukyu dancing and drumming, a nice Okinawan touch.

National Costumes

The first event was national costumes,

Swimsuit

followed by the swimsuits, and then the evening gowns. (Which was amusing titled as the Night Gown Competition)

The Top 15 finalists

The announcement of the top 15 finalists was met with cheers as most of the favorites made the cut.

Tida Dance Studio in Chatan

Each of the finalists gave a short speech before hip hop dancers from the Tida Dance Studio in Chatan performed. The kids were fantastic and the highlight of the evening.

The winners are announced

After quite a wait, the winner was announced, Miss Japan.

2nd Runner Up (Sri Lanka),Winner (Japan), 1st Runner Up (Finland)

Huge cheers from the majority of the crowd, but quite a few raised eyebrows from the non Japanese members of the audience.

Miss International 2012 Ikumi Yoshimatsu of Japan

After the audience had left, the press got to take some photographs of the top 5. I held a speed light at arm’s length in my left hand and took a few quick shots. Would have preferred to use a softbox or an entire studio, but you work with what you’ve got.

1st Runner Up – Miss Finland

4th Runner Up – Miss Paraguay

Overall, an interesting evening. Originally I’d guessed Miss Columbia would take the title, then after the speeches I was sure it was going to be Miss Philippines or Miss Haiti. The event was a good showcase for Okinawa. The contestants got to experience the culture and beauty of the Ryukyu Islands along with a few of its other charms like typhoons and flexible timekeeping.

Special Award Winner – Miss Haiti