Kansai region in spring 08

[Gengh]

After longing to visit Japan, one of my dream travel destination for many years, I've had an opportunity to make a long and leisurely trip there. Finally I get to see if people/things/places/life there was really like they were depicted in mangas, animes, TV series, etc. And have my own experiences to relate to when I see those amazing scenery, food, etc on Japan Hour. And this is not just any trip - it's our honeymoon! No no, I didn't coerce my wife into choosing Japan, she likes the place a lot too!

So here're some of the pictures from the several places we visited around the Kansai region. Many thanks to my wife who doesn't mind stopping in her tracks every few minutes for me to get the shots I want.

C&C most welcome, and those well-versed in all things Japanese, feel free to help with my captions too.

First Destination - Kyoto

#1 - A very organised taxi queue, but we couldn't out how it worked. How do they know who's next in line? Taken from the observation deck of Kyoto Tower.

#2 - Diagonal street crossings. Too bad I didn't get one with throngs of people crossing for better effect. We noticed that the roads were unusually quiet as we were crossing them. Later we realised that it was probably because the drivers actually kill their engines when they stop at the traffic lights. Not sure if someone familiar with Kyoto can confirm this.
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[Gengh]

#3 - A stroll in the Kyoto Imperial Palace grounds.

#4 - Walls surrounding the palace compound.

#5 - The inner courtyards of the palace. This area has a very distinct Chinese influence. However, instead of red, the Japanese prefer a bright vermilion colour for their structures.

#6 - More of the palace compounds.
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[Gengh]

#7 - The Higashiyama area in eastern Kyoto was a great place to stroll in. It brings you back in time, and gives you a glimsp of what Japan might have been like many years ago. This here is the grand entrance to the Chion-in temple.

#8 - A very large and famous sakura tree in Maruyama Park.

#9 - "Road-side stalls" ensured that park-goers will not be hungry ;p
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[Gengh]

You can't claim to have seen Kyoto until you have visited some of the temple complexes...

#10 - Stairs up to Kyomizudera Temple complex.

#11 - Yasaka Shrine. It was pretty hard to get a picture of someone pulling the bells with so many people walking around...

#12 - The many lanterns hung in front of Yasaka Shrine. Every lantern has different words written on them. All the different things you can pray for perhaps?

#13 - The rock garden of Kodaiji Temple.
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[Gengh]

#14 - The Ryozen Kannon. The statue is large enough that we spotted it from kilometers away when we were in the Kyoto Tower.

#15 - Clearly crows show very little respect to deities....​

 

[Gengh]

#16 - Some attempts at close ups of sakura. It was actually pretty difficult to find a good composition simply because the whole background is so cluttered with sakura.

#17 - Pink sakura.

#18 - A lonely sakura flower.

#19 - Trying to shoot them at night.
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I conclude that sakuras are simply difficult to get nice close-ups of, or I still suck at taking macros. Probably a bit of both....

 

[Eloriel]

Actually I think Kyoto is in Honshu, not Kyushu.

I like the tree in Maruyama. Should go there one day!

 

[Hachi]

Kyoto is in Kansai Area

I was at Yasaka Shrine too during that period. Glad you enjoyed the Kyoto experience.

 

[zoossh]

Kyoto is in Kansai Area

I was at Yasaka Shrine too during that period. Glad you enjoyed the Kyoto experience.

when i saw hachi, i thought of nana. i wonder if you know that movie.

 

[Gengh]

Actually I think Kyoto is in Honshu, not Kyushu.

I like the tree in Maruyama. Should go there one day!

Kyoto is in Kansai Area

I was at Yasaka Shrine too during that period. Glad you enjoyed the Kyoto experience.

Thanks guys, for pointing out. I tried to amend the main title of the thread, but couldn't. :cry:

when i saw hachi, i thought of nana. i wonder if you know that movie.

There's a movie called nana? Must be about 9 somethings....

 

[Gengh]

#17 - There were plenty of peach blossoms in the Imperial Palace grounds too. I believe peach blossoms are much redder in colour, while sakura is white or pink. Not sure if I'm right.

#18 - I got spotted!

#19 - They were pretty obliging when people asked for pictures. So I did too.

#20 - A Japanese couple having their bridal shoot. They looked so happy, it made for a great picture!

#21 - Outside one of the houses along Ishibe-koji. Is that tiny arch just decorative?​

 

[zoossh]

Thanks guys, for pointing out. I tried to amend the main title of the thread, but couldn't. :cry:

can pm mod to help to change.

There's a movie called nana? Must be about 9 somethings....

nana is seven and hachi is eight. it is a lovely movie, about two girls who met on the train, both with the name nana. one of them is a punky rock lead singer and the other is a typical neighbourhood girl who is going tokyo to look for her boyfriend. they have contrasting characters, one is proud like a cat, and the other is affectionate like a dog. the first nana hence decided to call the 2nd nana - hachi, the name for the famous loyal dog in japan, hachiko.

i can remember the movie quite well becos hachi is a really lovely character, and well, miyazaki aoi (just wiki-ed it) who starred hachi, is a very pretty girl. her nose is quite cute, like a dog's nose.

p.s. i always think many people can be differentiated into cat and dog personalities.... but then thinking now, i think some ppl are rats.... in a bad way....

 

[Gengh]

can pm mod to help to change.



nana is seven and hachi is eight. it is a lovely movie, about two girls who met on the train, both with the name nana. one of them is a punky rock lead singer and the other is a typical neighbourhood girl who is going tokyo to look for her boyfriend. they have contrasting characters, one is proud like a cat, and the other is affectionate like a dog. the first nana hence decided to call the 2nd nana - hachi, the name for the famous loyal dog in japan, hachiko.

i can remember the movie quite well becos hachi is a really lovely character, and well, miyazaki aoi (just wiki-ed it) who starred hachi, is a very pretty girl. her nose is quite cute, like a dog's nose.

p.s. i always think many people can be differentiated into cat and dog personalities.... but then thinking now, i think some ppl are rats.... in a bad way....

Gosh... first I got Kansai mixed up with Kyushu, and now I can't count! I'd better stop posting for today....

But the movie sounds really nice, I'll look out for it. I'm looking forward to seeing a live-action movie version of Grave of the Fireflies, I saw a poster for it in Japan. Will be released in Aug this year in Tokyo iirc.

Indeed, people do say things like "I'm a cat person" or "you're a dog person", I believe that means more than them just liking the animal too....

 

[Hachi]

hahaha..yes i know that movie...
i chose the nick hachi because of hachi ko

 

[Gengh]

Second Destination - Osaka

#18 - Our hotel was actually right across the road from Osaka's Yodobashi Camera. First time I'm been to an electronics store as large as that, and it seriously puts anything I've seen so far in SEA and Europe to shame. Let's just talk about cameras. What store in Singapore leaves a whole range of DSLR bodies and lenses out on an unattended counter for shoppers to compare and test to their hearts' content?

#19 - The streets along Dotonburi-kawa are some of the liveliest we've ever been along, with huge and elaborate facades being the norm. My wife said that Tokyo has streets like that too, but generally not as long and extensive as along Dotonburi-kawa.

#20 - This one moves!

#21 - An oval shape ferris wheel built into one of the buildings along Dotonburi. Osaka has at least 3 ferris wheels afaik.

#22 - There's even an information office for restaurants!​

 

[Gengh]

Third Destination - Nara

#23 - Nara is a much smaller place than Kyoto, but Nara park still has its fair share of very pretty sceneries.

#24 - I was a little unsure if he was actually glaring at me.

#25 - Nandaimon, the gate into Todaiji temple complex. Very massive and impressive.

#26 - The Daibutsu-den, home to the giant Buddha in Todaiji. I think it's supposed to be the largest standing wooden structure in the world.

#27 - The giant Buddha statue (Daibutsu) in Todaiji Temple. For a rough gauge of its size, the eyes are 1m wide.​

 

[zoossh]

#27 - The giant Buddha statue (Daibutsu) in Todaiji Temple. For a rough gauge of its size, the eyes are 1m wide.[/CENTER]

i suddenly feel that the buddha's hand sign look like one that say, no thanks, dun photographed me....

 

[Gengh]

i suddenly feel that the buddha's hand sign look like one that say, no thanks, dun photographed me....

I was thinking it looked more like he's putting his finger in his mouth....

 

[Gengh]

#28 - A model of the old Todaiji.

#29 - Cleansing himslef before prayers.

#30 - A Kasuga priestess manning the counter.

#31 - Just a small part of the many lanterns in Kasuga Taisha.

#32 - A stone donation lantern. There're tons of these in Nara-koen; donors will have their names written on the paper that seals each lantern. If the paper breaks from natural causes, the donor's wish will come true.​

 

[Gengh]

#33 - The famous inhabitants of Nara-koen.

#34 - Was trying to get a "big head" effect. Too bad I didn't get close enough, and it started to move away when I tried to get a second shot.

#35 - They were actually quite tame, not agressive and pushy as we've been told. We guess it's just the season: in spring there's plenty of grass, as well as tourists who feed them, so there's no need for them to harass people in general.​