a visual haiku

fleeting images
framed by the earth and the sky
frozen with a click

Poetic pictures of Japan, Spring 2009. As captured by my Canon IXUS 970 IS camera.

(Above) The BWWT 6 Bearbrick designed by Japanese contemporary poet Sandaimeuotakehamadashigeo. You can get CDs/DVDs of his poetry readings from his website.

1. Looking out into the garden of Nijo Castle, Kyoto.

2. Ducks at Ueno Park, Tokyo.

3. Short pine trees at the edge of the Castle Park, Osaka.

4. Wooden prayer boards called 'ema' are hung outside the Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo.

5. Trendy Japanese teenagers at a Tokyo JR Station.

6. Nothing compares to dining under cherry trees in bloom, behind the Yasaka-jinja Shrine in the old Gion district of Kyoto.

7. Red Japanese parasol at the Nijo Castle Garden, Kyoto.

8. The majestic Osaka Castle before dusk.

9. An arch of paper lanterns outside the Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo.

10. The sand garden at the Ginkakuji Temple (or Silver Pavilion) in Kyoto.

11. Wooden Japanese architecture at Ueno Park, Tokyo.

12. The bridge across the moat at the Osaka Castle.

13. If you lie down on a picnic blanket at Ueno Park, Tokyo, this is what you will see.

14. Huge lanterns outside the Senso-ji Temple at Asakusa, Tokyo.

15. The landmark Prada Building, designed by Herzog and De Meuron, at the chic Aoyama shopping district in Tokyo.

16. The most beautiful restroom sign I've seen. Lumine, Shinjuku Station, Tokyo.

All pics by by yours truly. Copyright: Bearbrick Lover 2009 :-)

the secret of the tangerine tunnel

Months before I traveled to Japan, I spoke with a TV commercial director who told me many interesting stories about his vacation there with his family.

"When we were in Kyoto," he said, "we took the train to the Fushimi Inari Shrine. Man, do you remember the scene in 'Memoirs of a Geisha' where the young Sayuri was running inside a tunnel of orange posts? That was the place. It was awesome!"

Then his eyes widened. "But you must hear the rest of my story. You remember my daughter? Remember I told you she has a third eye? While we were walking through the endless row of toriis, she suddenly freaked out! She couldn't breath... was crying like anything! We had to rush her out of there and give her lots of water to drink.'

'When she was well enough to talk, she revealed to us that she saw countless spirits of dead people roaming the place, and that a lot of them scrambled to get to her, pleading for help like lost souls. They must have sensed that my daughter could see them... it freaked me out, too!"

Last April 9, when I finally visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine with J, it was late afternoon and only as handful of tourists were present. The minute we were inside the torii tunnel, I stood very, very still. No, I didn't sense any spirit breathing in my ear. Even my companion J, who claims to be 'sensitive', didn't get any ghostly vibe. Whew!

But it was an eerie, beautiful place alright.

The place is open 24 hours but you won't see me around after sunset. I'll run out of that tunnel faster than the young Zhang Ziyi did in the movie. :-0

(Top pic) The Bearbrick in the pink Japanese kimono with crests is the 'secret' bearbrick of the 'Toys R Us' - Set A Series, released in 2001!

All pics by yours truly, taken at the Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto

Translation: Torii = Gate

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