Dance Performance

Prior to the rice planting ceremony organized by Moritomo Takino Shrine (森友瀧尾神社) in Nikko city, we had a dance performance offered to the God of cultivation. Two local lasses volunteered to be dancers...

This is an entry for Show Me Japan Vol 1, Issue 28. If you want to see nice photos taken in Japan, don't forget to visit!!!

Utmost For His Highest

These are members of the Aizu Mass Choir from Aizu Wakamatsu city (合図若松市), who were invited to express their love for Jesus at an ice candle ceremony commemorating the liberation of a place where untold numbers of Jews lost their lives - Auschwitz. The candle lighting, Jesus-loving event was held at the Auschwitz Peace Museum (アウシュビッツ平和博物館) in Fukushima Prefecture (I am not kidding)!!!

Yes, there is an Auschwitz museum in Japan and we blogged about this place here and about the ice candle ceremonies here (in 2010) and there (in 2011).

If you want to listen to their music, we have a video.




This is an Alphabe-Thursday entry (U is for utmost).

White Horse and A Girl

Photographed during the 1000 Samurai warriors parade (百物揃千人行列) at the World Heritage site in Nikko city, Tochigi prefecture.

This is a Camera Critters #149, Sunday In My City, and Spiritual Sunday entry.

                    

Mikoshi Carrier

Photographed during Otariya Festival (春渡祭). He is one of the Mikoshi carriers so relieved to be done carrying that damn heavy Mikoshi!

This is a Sepia Scenes #117 entry.

Tekomai Girl in Utsunomiya

Here is a Tekomai girl - part 2 that I photographed in my town, Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture. She is not our daughter. You can see our children there.

If you want to see other Tekomai girls, here we go. For those who are curious about Tekomai girls, we have something to tell you in our other blog, Budget Trouble.

         Click on the photo to enlarge.


This is a Sepia Scenes entry.

Tekomai Girl

Photographed at Tochigi Autumn Festival 2010 in Tochigi city.

If you want to know about her roles during Mikoshi (portable shrine) procession, please take a look at this entry in our blog, Budget Trouble.


This is a Sepia Scenes entry.

Live Jazz Concert

Utsunomiya City is known as the capital of gyoza (dumpling) and the natives are so proud of it that they organize a gyoza festival!!! It's taking place this weekend and in addition to yummy dumplings we also have free live jazz concerts.
We enjoyed the performance of a local band called All Around Orchestra (AAO). Here is their website (sorry Japanese only).

If you are curious what the hell is going on during a dumpling festival, please watch our YouTube video.

Water Splash Crown

Stumbled upon a little blond boy throwing stones again and again to make water crowns (that's the shape the splashed water took) in Nikko city. He was so excited to see this shape and to hear the sound the stones hitting the surface made. I understand how he felt because that's exactly what I did in Nikko when I was around his age!!!

Jazz Concert In Utsunomiya Downtown

Every weekend in Utsunomiya downtown we have free live Jazz concerts, since Utsunomiya is trying to be the Jazz capital of Japan... Let's see how it works out.

"The cutest of them all!!!"

During the Kanuma Buttsuke Autumn Festival. Note the visiting teenage foreigners participating in the festival. If you want to see more pictures, click here.

Happy Smiles

Girls smiling on both front and back (with mask) sides at Kanuma autumn buttsuke festival, Tochigi Prefecture.