The Five Story Pagoda of Sensoji
If you read my blog regularly you know that I recently purchased the Nikon D610 and sold my D7000. After selling the D7000, I used the money to purchase Nikon’s 16-35mm f/4 VR lens. I’ve really been enjoying it! It’s a spectacular lens, and sharp as can be. Also recently, my oldest daughter has begun to get into photography, using an old camera my wife had, so we went down to Asakusa earlier this week...
Warmth of a Narita Autumn
As I look forward to the coming autumn, I’ve been going through some of my old fall photos to practice and prepare my processing techniques. I’ve learned some different things since last season, so it’s interesting to go back to some old photos with a newer set of processing skills with which to approach each photo. It’s also nice to remember what places are worth going back to visit during the season this year, and...
Bamboo Forest of Hokokuji
Although the bamboo forest of Arashiyama in Kyoto is likely Japan’s most famous bamboo grove (and for good reason), there are many other splendid bamboo groves around the country. The grove connected to Hokokuji Temple in Kamakura is a great example of this. Although Hokokuji itself is rather small and a bit out of the way, it’s a great place to visit if you’re in the Kamakura area. Not only can you take in the...
Narita Gion Matsuri
This past weekend I went with fellow photographer Anthony Wood to the Narita Gion Matsuri. Since coming back to Japan in 2012, I haven’t been to that many festivals, so when Anthony invited me to join him at this one, I was excited to take him up on it. And this one did not disappoint! From the crowds to the floats, the atmosphere is a wonderful mixture of playful and traditional. I could say more,...
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....