![Photo of Japanese plum blossoms](https://i0.wp.com/lestaylorphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Tiny-Glow-of-Spring.jpg?fit=1024%2C678)
Plum Blossoms at Yushima Tenjin Jinja
Although Japan’s most famous flower is almost certainly the Cherry Blossom, the country also boasts another beautiful floral tree known as Ume [oo-meh], better known in English as the plum blossom. Like most flowers these come in a variety of colors, though primarily visitors will run across two specific colors: pink and white. While these lovely trees are not as numerous as the Cherry Blossoms, there are many great places around Tokyo to enjoy them....
![Photo of Matsudo Shrine](https://i0.wp.com/lestaylorphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Autumn-Evening-at-Matsudo-Jinja.jpg?fit=1024%2C678)
Orange Autumn Evening at Matsudo Jinja
Although Spring is on the way, it feels to me like Autumn was only yesterday. I think part of the reason is that the Autumn colors this year seemed to last for a while. The Autumn of 2012 didn’t seem nearly as colorful to me, especially around where I live. But this year the colors lasted well into December. Not that I’m complaining – it was a beautiful sight, and gave me plenty of opportunity...
![Photo of Nezu Shrine in Tokyo](https://i0.wp.com/lestaylorphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Half-Clean_small.jpg?fit=1024%2C678)
Half Clean at Nezu Jinja
I took this photo back during last Summer at the Nezu Jinja in Tokyo, an area I actually pass through every day in and out of the city. The architecture around this shrine is pretty impressive, and for a lesser known one its grounds are quite expansive. I spent most of my time actually on the outside edges of the grounds, where to me at least the most interesting photographic subjects were located. This water...
![Photo of Japanese lantern at Meiji Jingumae](https://i0.wp.com/lestaylorphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Illuminate-The-Snow.jpg?fit=1024%2C678)
Illuminating the snow at Meiji Jingumae
This photo comes from the big snowfall Tokyo received on the 8th of February. I made my way around Tokyo that day, taking pictures at various places trying to capture the feel around the city. For all the snow, the shrine was quite popular this day. In fact, I think there was even a wedding held here that day. Quite a day for a wedding! I really liked the way the snow and Japanese architecture...
![Snowy Shrine](https://i0.wp.com/lestaylorphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Frozen-Shadows.jpg?fit=1024%2C689)
Frozen Shadows
This is another photo I took with my wife’s Nikon J1 during Tokyo’s most recent snowstorm. I was a bit frustrated to see yet another storm come and this time not have my camera, but she was gracious enough to lend me hers – under the condition I not let the same happen to her camera that happened to mine! So this time I took with me a large umbrella and held that the entire...