Yummy Decoration

This Shime-kazari is something Japanese people put on their doors or gates during the new year period to ward the bad spirits away. It is also a way to welcome the gods inside the house at the start of the year.

Most people go and get a shime-kazari at a temple or shrine...but these days you can also order them online. This one decorated the door of a hair salon near Tokorozawa Station. I'm always curious what people do with the orange after they take it down. 

And if you're wondering about the rabbit poster in the window...2011 is the year of the rabbit!

Long and Narrow

This is another bridge that crosses over Yanase River.

It's pretty narrow but I saw a lot of people crossing it on their bikes. Very clever riding technique involved.

Click below for photos of wonderful bridges around the world!

Sunday Bridges hosted by Louis

Sound the Bells

This is the rope attached to the shrine bell of Kume Suitengu (see yesterday's post). Many people who come to pray here use this rope to ring the bell. It's a way to announce their presence before their time in prayer.

You can see in the photo bellow that many people have swung this rope around to ring the bell.

There is usually a offering box under the bell, where people toss in their coins. At the shrine the method of prayer after ringing the bell is: toss coin, two bows, two claps, pray, then one last bow.

Kume Suitengu

These stairs lead up to Kume Suitengu (久米水天宮) Shrine.

This shrine is what we call Sessha (摂社), a shrine that is located within another main shrine's domain. But unlike other sessha, Kume Suitengu has its own entrance and stairs. 

I love how it's located in the woods and surrounded by nature. The god of safe birth is known to be here in Kume Suitengu and many families with expecting mothers come to be blessed. 

 

Now and Then

This bridge crosses over Yanase River.

In the 1970s, during the economic growth, the river was very polluted. But through the sewer system maintenance and community clean up efforts, Yanase River currently has very clear water.

Hopefully it stays that way.

Click below for photos of wonderful bridges around the world!

Sunday Bridges hosted by Louis

A Thousand Prayers

Have you ever seen a Senbazuru (千羽鶴) before?

Senbazuru means "a thousand cranes," which is what it really is. They are paper cranes made from origami, strung together with string. It's traditional to make this Senbazuru for people who we want to wish good luck to or to get better. Every crane we make is like a prayer.

I found this Senbazuru at a shrine, which is one of the places people bring it to, to pray for the well-being of others. It even had beads at the end of the strings. I hope their prayer was answered.

In the Still of the Night

The night seems to become brighter by the year. I'm sure the sky is just as dark...but even in the middle of the night, there are lamp posts that shine and 24 hour stores that are open.

And while I am very grateful for all of this (especially when I'm walking back home from the station at night)...sometimes I miss the pitch dark nights where all you can see are the stars twinkling above.

A Pinch of Color

A gorgeous sky spread above the parking lot. Isn't this a great way to end the week? I hope everyone enjoys a bright and colorful weekend!

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky." -Rabindranath Tagore




Take a look at more beautiful skies all around the world here.

Who's Line Is It Anyway?

This is the sign above the entrance of a local restaurant, which is also sometimes a concert hall and other times a bar.

I've never been inside but plan to one of these days. I hear they have live music during dinner!

Under the Big Cherry Tree

I think I'm going to do a cherry tree theme this week. There are just so many cherry blossoms in full bloom all around Tokorozawa lately!

This huge cherry tree is technically standing inside the Shimamura Seisakujo grounds, but you can see the branch spreads out to the other side of the road. The people who work at Shimamura Seisakujo, where they manufacture mostly nails, are lucky. They probably eat their lunch under that tree on a sunny day!

I'm quite jealous.

Sun Bathing

On a sunny day like this, many houses have their laundry and futon out on the veranda to take in the sun's rays.

I usually use the drying machine for my laundry but sometimes hang my futon out on the clothes-line, especially in the summer. I like how the futon is nice and fluffy after a few hours in the sun!


Take a look at different skies all around the world here.

Tokorozawa ENT Clinic

The little girl playing an instrument. She's on top of the sign for Tokorozawa ENT Clinic, the local otorhinolaryngologist.



The Tokorozawa ENT (which I found out stood for Ear, Nose, and Throat) Clinic was founded in 1977. The sign itself is very unique. I didn't realize it was a clinic until I went to see the otorhinolaryngologist there one day.

Urban Legend

A pedestrian sign on the side of the road. It's said that there was a certain photo behind the making of this sign.

A cameraman was taking a walk around a park. There he saw a child with her father also taking a walk. The cheerful father smiling down at the sweet child. They were holding hands and playing a word game while walking.

The cameraman, quite taken with the way they look, grabbed his camera and took a photo. Suddenly, the father, who realized they were being photographed, gave the cameraman a piercing look. The cameraman, noticing the father's sudden alarm, apologized to the father, explaining that he wanted to take a natural photo of the father and child, and promised to send it once it was developed.

The father hearing this, smiled and thanked the cameraman, but stated that sending the photo was not necessary. Taking his child's hand, they quickly walked away.

At that time, the government wanted to establish a new pedestrian sign and was accepting ideas from the general public. The cameraman, on hearing this, remembered the photo he took at the park and came up with a design from the photo. To his surprise, his idea was accepted it became the new pedestrian sign!

A few months later, the cameraman was reading the newspaper. Without a thought, he turned to the local news section and saw a familiar face. Racking through his brain, he remembered that it was the father from the park.

The title of the article read 'Child Abductor-Murderer Caught!' and the small photo in the corner of the victim, was the child from the park.


What do you think? It's an urban legend, so whether you believe it or not, is up to you!

Flowers Out Front

Someone is taking good care of these flowers outside of the apartment building. I think they may be viola plants.

Today is the first day back to work for me and probably most people who work in companies here in Japan. I have to say I could use a vacation to recover from the vacation. How are you all recovering from the holiday festivities?

Construction site

The lock that keeps the people out of the construction site.

Baby It's Not Cold Outside

We had a super warm sunny sunday that made me want to run outside and sing a chorus of 'Oh what a beautiful morning!' and do cartwheels!

How High

This is a snack bar, a place where hostesses serve drinks and sometime have karaoke, called the '3rd Floor.'

Even though this is a one story building.

Gari Gari Kun

Well, summer has been officially gone for a while now. But sometimes I still crave a popsicle or two.

These are the ever popular 'Gari gari kun' popsicles. You can find them in any convenience store. The standard flovor is Soda. But they always have a couple of seasonal flavors as well. Like right now, you can get Chocolate Chip, Milk Caramel, or Red Grape flovors.

Which would you want?

Tis the Season for Oden

Oden is probably one of the greatest dishes ever been made! You have to try it. It's mainly served in the winter and is usually either made at home or bought in convenience stores.

It's been getting cold outside these days, so the convenience stores have started the take-out Oden earlier than last year. Yay! This is the one they have at the convenience store Family Mart.

I usually get daikon (white radish), boiled eggs, tofu, konbu, shirataki (konjac), kinchaku (rice cake stuffed in fried tofu pouch), and potatoes. Practically every non-meat non-fish menu available! Other people would probably enjoy the chikuwa(tube-like fish surimi), ganmodoki (fried tofu fritter), hanpen (triangular fish surimi), tsukune (pork roll), etc.

Oden is really a wonderful dish to warm you up when it's cold outside.

Hoppy Glow

The red glow of the lanterns.

They're advertising 'Hoppy,' a type of beer flavored drink. Mixed with shochu, it was a replacement drink when beer was too expensive, but even now it is still a popular drink in the Tokyo area.