Happy Halloween Everyone!
The Kingdom of the Ryukyus reigned over Japan's southwestern islands for approximately 450 years from 1429 to 1879. In 1879, the Japanese government, as part of the Meiji Restoration, established Okinawa as a Prefecture of Japan; thus the Kingdom of the Ryukyus ended. Shuri Castle is a gusuku, or Ryūkyūan castle and palace, in Shuri Okinawa. In 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, Shuri was almost completely destroyed, with only a few walls standing. In 1992, it was reconstructed on the original site.
Caught this fellow near the rose garden at Suma Rikyu Park drying its wings during a short break in the rain.
One downside of my free visit to the Suma Rikyu Park was the weather, quite rainy. However it made for a fun photograph of this tree bark and the rain drop upon it, making its final stop on the way to the ground below.
Suma Rikyu Park also has a greenhouse, collections of hydrangea, peony, and cherry trees, a Japanese garden, tea ceremony rooms, a drive lined with maple trees, fountains, a picnic area and restaurant, playground, and an athletic pathway with 28 stations. Well you get the idea, the park is rather large. The gardens were diverse and well kept, a nice surprise to find them set quietly and unassumingly near the city nestled in the Suma mountains. Photograph is of a bamboo grove, I spun the camera as I took this long exposure.
One site you can count on in Japan, almost anywhere you travel, are the power lines spread web-like across allies, streets, buildings, and almost every urban landscape.
Ultraman is a character featured in tokusatsu (special effects) television programs in Japan. Ultraman's creator was Eiji Tsuburaya, a pioneer in special effects who was responsible for bringing Godzilla to life in 1954. The first Ultraman series, that aired in 1967, begins when Shin Hayata is struck by a red sphere of light. The sphere turns out to be the transport for a red-and-silver giant being called Ultraman. Feeling remorse for killing the human, the being merges with Hayata to revive him. In return, Hayata serves as the human form for this being, and when danger threatens, he activates the "beta capsule" and transforms to Ultraman to save the day. The storyline begins in the near future, as referenced from the mid-1960's, 1993 to be exact. If only the future could be so dramatically different, the way science fiction shows envision. Photograph is of an arcade ride.
Continuing to play with the toy camera setting. This is an image taken on my way home from a class in Sannomiya, a small restaurant situated under the raised train tracks of the JR line with central Shin-Nagata in the background.
One last image from Suma Aqualife Park, these fellows seem to prefer living huddled together in a small tube; kinda like a capsule hotel for fish. Hope this gives you a smile, to me they look like little muppets. Today is the beginning of a three day weekend in Japan, hope wherever this finds you, your weekend is close at hand and promises to be a good one.
Yesterday was a free admission day to the Aqualife Park in Suma, so I decided to check it out with the large numbers of locals and children who had the same idea. "Suma Aquarium" was built in 1957, and was considered to be the biggest aquarium in East Asia. After its renovation in 1987, the aquarium was renamed Suma Aqualife Park and the "Wave Tank" is in front of the entrance hall of the main building was added. The first of its size in the world, the tank spans 25m and contains 1200t of water. Inside the tank are ocean sharks, rays, turtles and other large fish. While not as modern or impressive as its cousin in Ōsaka, the history, beachside location, and many exotic pacific ocean animals made this an enjoyable afternoon.
Sunday was a free admission day at the Oji Zoo in Kōbe, braving the heavy rain I went to check it out. I often have mixed feelings about visiting the zoo and after a few minutes of seeing the caged animals pacing in their small enclosures, I become vaguely depressed. Yet I still go every once in a while, especially if it is in a new city. Oji is a small zoo but does offer some interesting animals in picturesque surroundings. In late March or April I have been told that Oji Zoo is one of the best places for sakura in Kōbe, especially at night. Still playing with the toy camera setting, guess I will make it the theme this week.
School is back in session and the young masses have retreated from the sandy coasts of Suma beach, leaving in their wake plenty of rubbish. However, as the beaches are slowly cleaned and returned to the small numbers of beach combers, romantic couples, and fishermen that frequent them in the off-season, calm and quiet has again settled. For me personally, my photography has been feeling a bit stale of late. In an attempt to rediscover my local landscapes I have employed the "toy camera" setting of my LX3 and turned off the LCD, so the colors are all wonky, light leaks are simulated, and I am shooting without really seeing exactly what the camera is seeing. I miss my Holga, but this is the next best thing and loads cheaper, having no processing and film costs. Here are some results, I wait until I get back home to my computer before I see any shots and they are often a surprise. This method allows me to "let go" and just shoot whatever catches my fancy in a stream-of-consciousness like manner. If you want to have some playful and unexpected snapshots, this is a fun way to spend an afternoon. Try using an expired disposable camera, lomography camera such as the Holga, or a digital toy camera such as the super cute but expensive digital Harinezumi.
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