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Japan Images Gallery(50 images)

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Japan has been my base for 25 years. I have prepared a gallery or galleries containing images from Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, Sapporo although there are also more specialized collections of Japanese Festivals, Japanese Gardens, Japanese Cuisine and even Costume Play. To view respective collections please go to individual galleries at www.asiaimages.net or contact john@asiaimages.net
  • Shadows of lanterns at Kasuga Taisha Shrine, which is famous for its many lanterns that were donated by worshippers. The many bronze lanterns within the shrine as well as some of the 3000 stone lanterns leading to the shrine's approach are lit on the occasion of the Lantern Festivals in February and August.
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  • The dramatic torii of Itsukushima Shrine is one of Japan's most popular attractions. The gate has existed since 1168, though the current gate was reconstructed in 1875. Built of camphor wood and standing about 16 metres high the gate was built in a four legged style to provide additional stability. The gate only appears to be floating and only at high tide. When the tide is low the gate is surrounded by mud. Retaining the purity of the island is so important that no deaths or births were permitted in the area until quite recently.
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  • Japanese Fishing Boats
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  • Tidepools at Shonan Beach near Kamakura, Japan. Crawling around volcanic rocks, examining ocean life within the tidepools is a favorite activity among Japanese families - teaching the kids about nature. In such an idyllic scene it is hard to believe that Tokyo is only minutes away.
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  • August Obon celebrations end with Toro Nagashi or the floating of lanterns when paper lanterns are illuminated then floated down rivers or on the ocean signaling the ancestral spirits' return to the world of the dead.
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  • Drinking Tea - Japanese green tea, or ocha is the most common drink in Japan. Not only is it loaded with vitamin C and caffeine but its antioxidant and healthy properties are making this drink a hit all around the world.
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  • Nara Deer Park is a large, pleasant space in central Nara, established in 1880. It is the location of many of Nara's main attractions including Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji and the Nara National Museum. The park is home to hundreds of freely roaming deer. Considered messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion of Japan, Nara's deer have become a symbol of the city and have even been designated a National Treasure.
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  • Geta are a form of traditional Japanese footwear that resembles both clogs and flip-flops. They are a kind of sandal with an elevated wooden base held onto the foot with a fabric thong to keep the foot well above the ground. They are worn with traditional Japanese clothing such as kimono or yukata, and even with Western clothing during the summer months. Geta are often worn in rain or snow to keep the feet dry, due to their extra height.
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  • Enkoji was founded in 1601 by Tokugawa Ieyasu - its mission was to promote learning and scholarship in Japan. As a result, both monks and laymen were allowed as students. Enkoji is well known for its autumn leaves.
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  • Yoko-en Garden at Taizo-in Temple displays both elegance and austerity - the basis for traditional garden landscapes, and can be called one of the Showa period's finest gardens. The landscape gardener Nakane Kinsaku designed this expansive garden. While difficult to see at a glance, great pains have gone into the details. An example of this is the spacious impression one gets when the garden is viewed from the front.
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  • Kusatsu is the largest natural hot springs in Japan with more than a hundred springs gushing from the Earth which produce, altogether, more than 36,000 litres per minute. This abundance can be seen in the Yubatake the hot spring fields in the centre of town. Kusatsu's long history as a flourishing spa town is a well-known resort for recovering from illness or surgery.
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  • Jigokudani Monkey Park is located in the valley of the Yokoyu River that flows from Shiga Kogen ski area of the northern part of Nagano Prefecture. Japanese monkeys, Macaque Fuscata, are the species that live in the northern part of the world. They live in forests, mainly in Honshu. Jigokudani is famous for its large population of wild Japanese Macaques more commonly referred to as Snow Monkeys, that stay in the valley during the winter, and like to bathe in the local hot springs. .
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  • Ema or votive tablets bearing illustrations of horses or other scenes offered at shrines, temples as emblems of wishes or vows, or as expression of thanks. Types of ema range from large, framed pictures produced by professional painters, to smaller pictures painted by unknown artists or even by the devotees themselves.
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  • Harajuku Goth Lollies - A combination of Goths and Lolitas blending a bit of innocence with a tad of mysterious evil. Every Sunday cosplay characters meet in Harajuku Tokyo's fashion area to show their latest creations. It makes you wonder what they wear on Monday mornings to work...
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  • "Tetra Mound" by Isamu Noguchi installed at Moerenuma Park in Sapporo. The installation was designed by Noguchi a Japanese-Amerian artist and architect. Construction of the park was begun in 1988, and opened in 2005. The park has won a number of awards including the Good Design Award in 2002. The park is considered to be one complete sculpture. The triangular sculpture over a grassy mound is called "Tetra Mound".
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  • Zenkoji is a Buddhist temple in Nagano, Japan. The temple was built in the 7th century and the city of Nagano was built around the temple. The temple was founded before Buddhism iwas split into several different sects in Japan so it is co-managed by priests from different schools of Japanese Buddhism.
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  • Cruising the Izu Islands on one of the many ferries that ply these waters from either Tokyo or Shimoda. Off in the background is Niijima, one of the more popular of the islands for its beaches and powerful surf.
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  • Jigokudani Monkey Park is located in the valley of the Yokoyu River that flows from Shiga Kogen ski area of the northern part of Nagano Prefecture. Japanese monkeys, Macaque Fuscata, are the species that live in the northern part of the world. They live in forests, mainly in Honshu. Jigokudani is famous for its large population of wild Japanese Macaques more commonly referred to as Snow Monkeys, that stay in the valley during the winter, and like to bathe in the local hot springs. .
    jigokudani-...jpg
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  • Ninnaji Temple Monks - Ninnaji is one of Kyoto's most interesting temples with a large variety of extraordinary buildings & gardens on its spacious grounds. Among the numerous buildings on the grounds are elegant palace style buildings surrounded by beautiful Japanese gardens, a five storied pagoda, various temple halls, a massive entrance gate, bell tower and tea houses. It was the first imperial temple in Kyoto and now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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  • Mega Web is a Toyota showroom on Odaiba where you can view and touch Toyota's newest models and car accessories; test drive a real car; ride in an automated electric vehicle or play in a safety simulator.
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  • The Rainbow Bridge was designed to allow ships to safely pass under the bridge, but as it is close to Haneda airport it could not be built over a certain height to allow for safe airline paths. It is a two storey bridge with monorail train on one level and an expressway on another level. It is lit up at night, along with the Statue of LIberty replica and Tokyo Tower in the distance, giving it a "romantic" look.
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  • The Tanabata Festival celebrates the meeting of Vega and Altair as "star crossed lovers". Sometimes this is called the Star Tanabata. The Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunar calendar. Since the stars come out at night, the celebration is held at night. Hiratsuka, Kanagawa-ken, is one of the most elaborate spectacles of the special lanterns that decorate the event.
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  • Looking out over the panorama of Yokohama from one of Japan's tallest buildings, you can hardly believe that 150 years ago, Japan's second largest city and largest port was hardly even a village.
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  • Childrens Day Carp Banners - Children's Day or "Kodomo no hi" is a Japanese national holiday on May 5, the fifth day of the fifth month and is part of the Golden Week. It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness. Originally it was called "Boys Day", as the carp typically represent boys in Japan.
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  • Fuji and Sakura or Cherry Blossoms at Lake Kawaguchi - Cycling, hiking, camping, fishing and just sightseeing are the main entertainments around Mt Fuji along the shores of the lakes that surround the sacred mountain.<br /> Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 meters in altitude, an active volcano that last erupted in 1707; Fuji straddles Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures just west of Tokyo, from where it can be seen on a clear day. Mount Fuji's symmetrical cone is a well known symbol of Japan and is frequently visible in art and photographs. Although Mount Fuji has not erupted in over 300 years its still not considered to be extinct.
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