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

ASIMO

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While up in Tokyo I met up with my old friend 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 showed me his new dance moves, and he seemed to be able to run a little faster than last time we met. 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.

USO Kadena Far East Bazaar

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This fall, I’ll be  selling my prints of Japan at the USO Kadena Far East Bazaar and the two winter Community Carnivals. Please stop by, say hello, and maybe even get something for your wall. USO Far East Bazaar October 27/28 USO Community Carnival at Kinser Elementary School November 17/18 USO Community Carnival at Zukeran Elementary School December 8/9

The Psychic

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At the age of three, Airi was able to bend spoons with her mind. By the time she was five should could read the thoughts of dogs, cats, her classmates and teachers. She scored full marks on every test. Her family switched from dried pet food to an a la carte menu on the advice of Fido and Whiskers. Model – Airi Makeup Artist – Summer Johnson

Back on line eventually.

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NTT finally came and fixed the broken phone line outside my home. The engineer said that he and about 1000 others had been sent down from mainland Japan to fix all the problems. They are clearly swamped by the scale of the job, and I wonder if it’s time for Okinawa to consider putting all those cables underground. Typhoon Jelawat created far more havoc than expected. The main damage seemed to be to power cables, telephone lines, trees, and vehicles. A fisherman was killed at Zampa point, the typhoon had passed, but large waves still swept him off the rocks. I was impressed by how fast the Okinawa clean up crews were able to remove debris from the roads. On Sunday afternoon there were trees strewn all over the 58 heading up through Onna Village, but by Monday morning things were clear. Typhoon season is coming to a end, but there still seem to be several typhoons loitering around. Hopefully we’ll get through the next few weeks without any more death and destruction.

Technical difficulties…

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Typhoon Jelawat took out the power. Three days later, when the electricity began to flow again, it instantly fried a wet plug socket. Able to turn the power back on to the rest of the house by leaving the kitchen and office in the dark. No Internet and rotting food. 2 days later the electrician comes, checks the lines and replaces the plug socket. Power back again to the office and an empty fridge. Computer works but no Internet. Call NTT, they say they will send someone over ASAP. Which means around mid October. Updating blog on iPhone

Matsuri Exhibition – Half-time Report

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It’s Sunday morning in Tokyo and the exhibition is going great. First I need to say a huge thanks to the team that helped set up the exhibition. We were meant to set up on Monday night but due to the typhoon I arrived more than 36 hours late. Tuesday, should have been a day off for the Pentax staff, but at 10AM on Tuesday morning Pentax staff, the crew from Frame-man who mounted the prints, and the man from Horiuchi Color Ltd who produced the giant B0 prints all came to help. It was such a wonderful group effort, with everyone really excited to make this exhibition special. A steady stream of visitors have seen the exhibit, including staff from various division of Pentax, pro photographers and several friends who were able to stop by. For all those of you who can’t make it I made a couple of 360 panoramas on my iPhone which you can check out. If you look at the links with your iPhone or iPad you can even use …