Sanuk Canadian

Mid-August is a very auspicious time in Japan. During this one-week holiday season, called "Obon", spirits of deceased ancestors are thought to return to the world of the living to visit their relatives. Japanese families mark this return with gifts of food, fireworks and decorated lanterns -- all to either scare away or entice the wandering spirits. At Mount Oyama, Kanagawa prefecture, during mid-August, the streets of the mountain village are lined with these traditional Obon lanterns. I decided to take a look at this local festival and practice taking photos at night. Photos: Pre-dusk lanterns. Far right - some anime themed lanterns! (Conan, Frozen and one I don't recognize...) Lanterns were of various sizes. Some were made out of milk cartons; others were created using paper with painted scenes. Fans of Japanese art or artists would truly enjoy these lanterns. Photos (clockwise from top left): Yokosou ("welcome") / waterfall / milk cartons / tra...

Last night, a fellow co-worker invited me to her apartment smack next door to Shinjuku station. From her 7th floor balcony, we could enjoy the time-honored, Japanese tradition of summer fireworks. This festival, the Jingu-Gaien Fireworks Festival, happens every year, around early to mid August from 19:30 ~ 20:30. It was my first attempt at photographing fireworks. I selected my best shots for the evening.... Nikon P600 w/long zoom - Fireworks show setting:  Fireworks in Japan are very different from those in Canada. In my home country, usually organizers send up one firework at a time. In Japan, there are "themes" or "groups" of fireworks every 5 ~ 10 minutes. So, you will see a series or group of fireworks at once. It's quite impressive! Photos: Firework waterfall / Pink cross Fireworks are sponsored (usually) by local and big businesses. Some community residents will also donate loose change to fireworks festivals in the area. In my local town i...

Yokohama is perhaps my favorite city in all Japan. It has the harbor front, ships of all sizes, lots of scenic views, shops galore, Chintatown, and a vibrant, international community. It's also (currently) the most expensive city in Japan -- more than Tokyo -- due to high taxes. Despite the money factor, a friend and I splurged on an afternoon tea set smack in the center of the historic district of Yokohama. We had a reservation for the Royal Ascot Bar , at the Royal Park Hotel. Between the hours of 14:00 to 16:00, the bar serves up an English tea set, mainly for women.  Photos : Scanning the menu / pots of tea, a cup of lemongrass tea / my friend and a pooped out Cutenekko My friend and I shared one set, ordering two pots of tea. I chose lemongrass for the refreshing flavor; my friend selected vintage Darjeeling. We switched our pots halfway through to enjoy the different tastes.  The service here was very fast; upon ordering, our tea arrived within 5 minutes. The t...