Two weekends ago, Ryan and I decided to check out Hondori (literally translated as "Main Street"), the primary drag through downtown. This was a weird little courtyard we found, featuring avant garde sculture and a red lorry selling waffles.
This is Ebisu Shrine. When I first came to Japan, they were having some Ebisu Festival to honor the god of commerce, but I never knew there was a shrine associated with all those festivities. The reason? Ebisu shrine is crowded in between a grocery store and a coffee vending machine. Modernity has taken hold on all sides of it, so it's a funny little juxtaposition.
A survival horror game we found at a gaming store downtown. Michigan: The Game apparently features Great Lakes splendor, unspoiled Michigan forests, and zombies.
An army of puffer fish-hatted advertisers for a local restaurant. I still haven't worked out what this restaurant is, but they have been advertising the pants off it. I see these hats everywhere! They also had a giant puffer fish balloon.
On to Shukkei-en Garden, a famous garden in Hiroshima said to be a miniature reproduction of a garden in China. It's centered around a little lake with ten tiny islets. It was overcast that day, but the foliage in early Autumn and the flowers in Spring are supposed to be spectacular. I think it looks pretty lovely in the Winter, too.
This is called the Rainbow Bridge, and it's got a nice look. Treacherous to climb, though, as you might expect!
They wrap the trees like this in the winter...to keep them warm, I guess? Ryan and I couldn't figure it out. This one looks like a giant demon hand giving the surrounding landscape the finger.
More wrapped trees. Looks sort of otherworldly, don't it?
This river was bright orange! I'm not sure why, but it was very striking.
A traditional tea house. It's all closed off and presented as an almost-sacred historical relic, but we could hear some dude watching soap operas inside. What the heck!
Ancient meets modern. I really like the reflection of the skyscraper in the lake.
Ryan loves him some tiny islets.
Aw heck, I love me some tiny islets too!
Beauteous, even in the stark weather.
This is not in Shukkei-en, but in an area near the train station said to be largely untouched by Japan's ever-encroaching modernity. Supposedly it looks just like the Showa era back there. Not that I know what the Showa era looked like...but it was refreshingly simple and low-tech, I'll say that. This was the neighborhood shrine.
More of the Showa area. Open stall markets with handmade signs and ultra-cheap prices. Plus paper lanterns!
No, it's not
Snakes on a Plane here. It's
Snake Flight. The Japanese must have figured
Snakes on a Plane was some American cultural reference that wasn't going to translate. Surprise: it was just an appealingly stupid title!
Two weekends ago, Ryan and I decided to check out Hondori (literally translated as "Main Street"), the primary drag through downtown. This was a weird little courtyard we found, featuring avant garde sculture and a red lorry selling waffles.
This is Ebisu Shrine. When I first came to Japan, they were having some Ebisu Festival to honor the god of commerce, but I never knew there was a shrine associated with all those festivities. The reason? Ebisu shrine is crowded in between a grocery store and a coffee vending machine. Modernity has taken hold on all sides of it, so it's a funny little juxtaposition.
A survival horror game we found at a gaming store downtown. Michigan: The Game apparently features Great Lakes splendor, unspoiled Michigan forests, and zombies.
An army of puffer fish-hatted advertisers for a local restaurant. I still haven't worked out what this restaurant is, but they have been advertising the pants off it. I see these hats everywhere! They also had a giant puffer fish balloon.
On to Shukkei-en Garden, a famous garden in Hiroshima said to be a miniature reproduction of a garden in China. It's centered around a little lake with ten tiny islets. It was overcast that day, but the foliage in early Autumn and the flowers in Spring are supposed to be spectacular. I think it looks pretty lovely in the Winter, too.
This is called the Rainbow Bridge, and it's got a nice look. Treacherous to climb, though, as you might expect!
They wrap the trees like this in the winter...to keep them warm, I guess? Ryan and I couldn't figure it out. This one looks like a giant demon hand giving the surrounding landscape the finger.
More wrapped trees. Looks sort of otherworldly, don't it?
This river was bright orange! I'm not sure why, but it was very striking.
A traditional tea house. It's all closed off and presented as an almost-sacred historical relic, but we could hear some dude watching soap operas inside. What the heck!
Ancient meets modern. I really like the reflection of the skyscraper in the lake.
Ryan loves him some tiny islets.
Aw heck, I love me some tiny islets too!
Beauteous, even in the stark weather.
This is not in Shukkei-en, but in an area near the train station said to be largely untouched by Japan's ever-encroaching modernity. Supposedly it looks just like the Showa era back there. Not that I know what the Showa era looked like...but it was refreshingly simple and low-tech, I'll say that. This was the neighborhood shrine.
More of the Showa area. Open stall markets with handmade signs and ultra-cheap prices. Plus paper lanterns!
No, it's not Snakes on a Plane here. It's Snake Flight. The Japanese must have figured Snakes on a Plane was some American cultural reference that wasn't going to translate. Surprise: it was just an appealingly stupid title!
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